A photo exhibition on Swedish and Indian fathers prove that the father figure is not the stern presence

The generalised masculine image doesn't include men being at home and caring for someone else. Men are often seen as the breadwinner and not the ones who take care of the household and the unpaid work at home including childcare," says photographer Johan Bavman, who shot a series of photos of fathers from Sweden, who shattered the myth of the remote, stern father-figure.

The photographer thus set out to document new fathers in his country – who took paternity leave to stay at home with their children. Although, Sweden has better concessions for such leaves than most other countries, not many fathers use them. However, Fredrick Jansson was definitely not hesitant to take up the role of helpmate in the upbringing of his child. "I wanted to spend quality time with my child and build my relationship right at the beginning," he says, adding, "Sweden was the first country in the world to replace maternity leave with parental leave, in 1974. More than 40 years later, fathers take roughly 25 per cent of the total number of days available to the couple. If fathers' paternity leave continues to increase at the same pace it has so far during the 21st century, the use of parental leave will be gender equal by 2040."

In India, patriarchy is a rampant issue, which is only beginning to be tackled. Even so, being a hands-on father is not only desirable but also fashionable among young parents today, says photographer Avinash Gowariker, who was approached by the Swedish Embassy to create a corresponding series of Bavman for an exhibition at the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival. "What hit me the most was that I have done none of these things with my own father, out of the ten situations that I photographed. And this is just a way to gauge how much times have changed for the better," he says.

Instead of taking photographs of unknown people sought out through social media or through some impersonal survey, Gowariker looked among his own friends and associates at people he considered exemplary fathers. "I shot my farmhouse caretaker who goes out and walks 15 minutes everyday and drops his children to school, my friend Jerry trekking with his daughter. My best friend, Suneil has twins and he got them at age 44. It is amazing to see him playing with two-year-olds in the same playgrounds where we played as two-year-olds."

Families, too, seem to welcome the involvement, surprised though they may be, says Sameer Mahuli, CEO, Underdogs Gaming Pvt. Ltd. Speaking about his own family's reaction, he says, "The family was very surprised and happy with the decision that I was available with my wife and child, taking a leave from the office. The company was initially annoyed by the leave, but later warmed up when they realised that the work was well organised."

As for the photos themselves, Gowariker emphasises that while he may usually do fashion photoshoots, these shots were as candid as possible. For Bavman too, showing the imperfections was more important than a perfectly posed photo. "I wanted to show pictures of fathers that aren't perfect, that is takes trial and error to understand how to become a good parent. The bond is something you will develop by spending time with your children and be there for them in happy moments and hard situations," says the Swedish photographer.

Ultimately though, it is the message of looking beyond gender stereotypes for a healthier family bond is what both photographers hope to portray. "I'm very proud to say that I think it can make a different and better knowledge in terms of gender equality," says Bavman, adding that his Swedish Dads series has already has an impact. "The exhibit has shown in 65 countries and the short film about the project has been shared 40 millions times on social media."