Ahead of its launch today, photographer Dabboo offers preview of his calendar
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; January 28, 2019)

“I have gone back to colour. For the last few years, it featured a lot of black-and-white pictures, but this time, it’s different,” starts off Dabboo Ratnani, a day before the launch of his annual calendar today.

In the two decades since its inception, the unveiling of his calendar has become something of a tradition in Bollywood, with fans waiting with bated breath to see their favourite stars through the lens of the famed photographer.

Ratnani attributes his success to the stars who keep him going. “I’m moved by their faith in me. Mr [Amitabh] Bachchan has featured in my calendar for the last 18 years, and he trusts my vision each time. I would have never got here without their support. For instance, I went to visit Akshay [Kumar] at an outdoor shoot location, and the place blew my mind. It was an impromptu decision to shoot there. When I suggested the idea, he laughed it off, but a few hours later, he came around and said, ‘Let’s do this.’”

Sharing three exclusive images from the calendar, Ratnani says John Abraham’s picture is one of his favourites as it perfectly captures the actor’s macho image. “Initially, we had planned the picture with the rains [in the backdrop], but eventually chose this one.”

It isn’t easy to do justice to Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s beauty, but Ratnani’s latest work sees her looking ravishing in a purple power suit. “Ash is glorious as always in front of the camera,” gushes the lensman, adding that he is also excited about Parineeti Chopra’s look. “Parineeti is like an ice princess. The tone [of the picture] is blueish and has a Game Of Thrones feel to it.”

Having captured fans’ imagination over the past 20 years, Ratnani says the challenge lies in finding new concepts every year. “When I started off, I didn’t even have a studio. I was compelled to shoot outside, and over the years, I mastered the art of shooting at outdoor locations. Two months after the calendar launch, I start working on the next by jotting down ideas. I pitch two to three concepts to the stars, and let them take their pick. I do this calendar out of my sheer love for creativity; it keeps the photographer in me challenged.”