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Dewey Sim

After dolling up M. Kesavan and changing his sandals to dress shoes, photographer K. Sajeev Lal then positioned him against a dreamy, animated backdrop.
Sajeev was finding the best angle to capture the “perfect shot” for the Indian national, who would then send the photographs back home in a bid to capture the attention of a future wife.
Kesavan is among hundreds of migrant workers from India and Bangladesh who have had their matchmaking photographs shot by Sajeev, 53, the founder of his eponymous studio.
The unassuming two-storey location in Little India has drawn local and foreign workers since it opened in 2004.




But the business did not start as a matchmaking booth. It was an accidental success for Sajeev, who was a freelance photographer dabbling in outdoor and wedding photography.
“After I opened this studio, migrant workers started coming, and then word spread and business grew,” he said.
Kesavan had heard about the studio the same way. “My friends took their matchmaking photographs here and they said it was good so I came here for mine,” said the 33-year-old, who has worked in Singapore for eight years as a sales account manager.
Kesavan has saved enough money to buy a plot of land back home in Thanjavur, southern India, and harbours the thought of getting married.

Another customer, Rajaseker Karathick, 27, a mechanic, said he visited the studio multiple times as the photographs are of “good quality”.
For workers taking matchmaking photographs, Sajeev promises a “100 per cent success rate”.
“I have helped maybe few hundreds of workers find wives. I will always try to take [the photograph] the way they like it and make it interesting,” he said.
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Sajeev has a range of backdrops in his studio for customers to choose, and racks of clothes ranging from suits to traditional Indian costumes.
He has met many workers in the past, and feels that the best matchmaking photo should be one that portrays their “true selves”.
“Some of them who are short asked me to make them look taller, and some who are fat want me to make them thin,” said Sajeev. “I will play around with angles but there is just so much I can do.”
He also has a keen eye for detail, and helps his customers tuck their shirts in neatly and even teaches them how to smile.
In rich Singapore, why must migrant workers go hungry?
One of the key reasons migrant workers patronise his studio is its affordability. Sajeev charges S$36 (US$26.40) for a full-body shot and a half-body shot, while other studios can charge over S$100.
Playing cupid for these migrant workers has brought Sajeev joy and satisfaction, but he said he was unsure how long he would be in the trade.
Business has dwindled since the riots in Little India in 2013, when about 400 people clashed with police officers after a private bus ran over an Indian migrant worker.
The riot was a rare large-scale demonstration in Singapore, given the government’s curbs on public assembly, and it raised public debate on open immigration policy.
I have helped maybe few hundreds of workers find wives
Sajeev, photographer
At the time, Singapore was on a four-year campaign to reduce its reliance on foreign workers, after citizens voiced discontent over increased competition for housing and jobs.
The government also encouraged companies to invest in automation and other means to boost productivity to limit the inflow of cheap foreign labour, which dealt a greater blow to Sajeev’s business.
He used to have 600 customers on average a month, but it varies between 100 and 200 now.
“There also used to be more buses that bring migrant workers from their dormitories in Tuas to Little India every weekend,” Sajeev said.
To help keep business alive, he is trying to reach out to different demographics, including locals and Filipino domestic workers.
“I am very happy to be able to help foreign workers find their wives back home. They are happy and so am I,” Sajeev said. “And I hope they continue to tell their friends so I can continue helping them take photographs here.”
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When photographer K. Sajeev Lal started his eponymous studio in 2004, he never expected to find success with matchmaking photographs
Today, he has helped hundreds of migrant workers find a partner, and is now expanding his business to locals and Filipino domestic workers


When photographer K. Sajeev Lal started his eponymous studio in 2004, he never expected to find success with matchmaking photographs. Today, he has helped hundreds of migrant workers find a partner.


India

Bangladesh

The Philippines