Showing posts with label Dabboo Ratnani interview. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dabboo Ratnani interview. Show all posts
Ranbir Kapoor reminded of Sanjay Dutt from a look test 20 years ago-Dabboo Ratnani
8:20 AM
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 28, 2019)
Ranbir Kapoor, one of the many actors who has shot for Dabboo Ratnani’s 2019 calendar, sports a grungy look in ripped jeans, dark glares and a leather jacket, his torso bare and his hair spiked. The photographer is still blown away by how RK gets into every task so effortlessly. “I just gave him an idea of the mood and feel of the shoot and he took it to the next level. He was like a tiger walking along the railway tracks,” reminisces the 47-year-old photographer.
He has known his model for years, even before he made his debut in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Sawariya in 2007, and believes Ranbir has an inbuilt attitude for photo-shoots. “There is an innate spunk in him. Earlier, he thought facing the moving camera was easier, but having worked for so long, he’s far more confident with the still camera now and makes amazing pictures when on location,” Dabboo explains.
Talking about the thought process behind this shoot, he says the railway tracks with a train entering the frame, made for a unique appeal pic. “I was wondering whether to put Ranbir in formals thereby creating a contrast or keep it sexy and urbane with torn jeans and a leather jacket. On the day of the shoot, he wanted to go ahead with the sexy look, so that’s how it worked out. It’s important for the actors to be excited about my shoots so I get them involved in the process,” says Dabboo, adding that he had taken a picture of Sanjay Dutt too, walking along the tracks 20 years ago for a look test. “The similarity between the two was uncanny.”
Quiz him on which actor takes the least amount of time with his shoots, and Dabboo says, “My shoots with Akshay Kumar are done in three to four minutes. He is quick and has a different vision for photoshoots.”
I pitch two to three concepts to the stars, and let them take their pick-Dabboo Ratnani
8:19 AM
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.”
Check out Sexy Parineeti Chopra, 'wet' Shah Rukh, happy Hrithik in Dabboo Ratnani's calendar
7:56 AM
Hiren Kotwani (BOMBAY TIMES; January 12, 2016)
Dabboo Ratnani's annual
calendar presents Bollywood in its true glory. This year again, the
ace lensman has superstars of all statures, shapes and sizes posing
exclusively for him. While the pictures of Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik
Roshan can be termed scene-stealers; Parineeti Chopra in her slim avatar
is also being discussed.
Says Dabboo, “Having turned a fitness enthusiast, Parineeti has become
extra cautious about her diet. However, she broke her resolve for this
picture. She agreed to raid the refrigerator and eat a midnight
snack. The chocolate, ice cream, pizza and cupcake add to the fun story
around this sexy shot.“
The photographer tells us how he conceptualised the shots for Hrithik and SRK.
SHAH RUKH KHAN
We played with a lot of water for this sexy picture. Shah Rukh was shy when Manisha (my wife) told him to unbutton his shirt. The beard and outfit make him look a bit grungy. We shot this against the backdrop of an old gate in Film City studios. Shah Rukh was sporting when I asked him if we could wet his jacket, which he had brought from his personal wardrobe.
HRITHIK ROSHAN
I was clear that I wanted to shoot outdoors with Hrithik. He has shot with me 15 times earlier and the pictures that were clicked in the open have usually worked well. This picture was taken outside Mehboob studio. While it took me over an hour to set up the shot, the actual shot itself took just five minutes. I thought it would be great to see him dressed for a movie premiere, sitting on the carrier of an old taxi and laughing away. When Aalim (hair stylist) suggested that Duggu also throw the paper, I went along with it.
The photographer tells us how he conceptualised the shots for Hrithik and SRK.
SHAH RUKH KHAN
We played with a lot of water for this sexy picture. Shah Rukh was shy when Manisha (my wife) told him to unbutton his shirt. The beard and outfit make him look a bit grungy. We shot this against the backdrop of an old gate in Film City studios. Shah Rukh was sporting when I asked him if we could wet his jacket, which he had brought from his personal wardrobe.
HRITHIK ROSHAN
I was clear that I wanted to shoot outdoors with Hrithik. He has shot with me 15 times earlier and the pictures that were clicked in the open have usually worked well. This picture was taken outside Mehboob studio. While it took me over an hour to set up the shot, the actual shot itself took just five minutes. I thought it would be great to see him dressed for a movie premiere, sitting on the carrier of an old taxi and laughing away. When Aalim (hair stylist) suggested that Duggu also throw the paper, I went along with it.
Hrithik Roshan is most good looking & Shah Rukh Khan is the most photogenic-Dabboo Ratnani
9:40 AM
Priya Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; December 28, 2015)
Dabboo Ratnani, 44, is
equally a friend's friend and a true family man. He is emotional, calm,
patient, understanding, and extremely adorable. In an industry where
usually professionals have favourites and take sides, Dabboo remains a
universal favourite. His talent, positivity and hunger for work has led
him to become one of the leading celebrity photographers in the country. Excerpts from a conversation with the man who has shot every top star
in Bollywood.
You have shot with all the top stars. Talk about your experience of working with Amitabh Bachchan?
He was always amazingly punctual. We were once shooting in Paris for a book. The previous night we were out to Buddha Bar and we realised that we did not have enough pictures. And I told him, 'Sir, we are leaving back at 10 am tomorrow morning. Is it possible that we can shoot some more pictures at 7 am?' He looked at the time and it was almost 2 at night and he asked me, 'Will you wake up?' And he said, 'I will see you in the lobby at 6.45 am.' Next morning I reached the lobby at 6.45 am only to find that he was already there. I admire him.
Working with Akshay Kumar?
He is a really genuine person and makes for great pictures. I have been working with him since I started my career and he is still the same person even now. He is extremely enthusiastic about his pictures and is very clear in his head on how the pictures are going to be. He is also very fond of photography and always makes fun that he wanted to become a photographer so he had come to me to assist (though he did not) and how I threw him out of the studio.
What about Hrithik Roshan?
The first time he ever faced the camera was with me. He came to me and told me he wanted to make his portfolio. He didn't tell me at that time that he was Rakesh Roshan's son but just said that he knew me from school. We fixed the time for the shoot and he wore borrowed clothes from my friends. On the day we were to shoot, it started raining and I told him, 'I have this dilapidated place but I can set up the lights there and we can shoot.' With literally water falling from the ceiling, we shot. But from the time I first saw him through the lens, I knew this guy will be something else. He said, 'I will pay you after 10 days' and I agreed. After the shoot was over, he told me how he was Rakesh Roshan's son and he said, 'I am going to show him the pictures and if he likes them he is going to pay me money. And then I will come and pay you.' His dad saw the pictures, called me and said, 'Amazing pictures' but it was a month and Hrithik forgot to pay me. In those days, that money was important for me so I got my assistant to call him and tell him that I had given him a 50% discount but that the payment had still not come. He sent a cheque of the original 100% amount without reducing the 50% discount immediately and I felt so bad. Hrithik is a lovely human being.
Who for you is the most good looking male star?
Hrithik Roshan.
Who's the most punctual star?
Mr. Amitabh Bachchan and Akshay.
Who's the most photogenic male star?
Shah Rukh Khan. He just transforms in front of the camera.
Who is the most good looking female star?
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.
And who's the most photogenic female star?
Kajol.
How did you become a photographer?
I came from a middle class Sindhi family where my dad ran a Bombay Dyeing retail shop. I was always fond of gizmos and the camera too was one such for me. Even at a school picnic, I was always the guy with the camera. My elder brother Vicky became a chef so it was taken for granted that I would take over my dad's shop. I tried it also and can still measure and cut cloth, but selling bedsheets was not enjoyable for me at all. I studied at Bombay Scottish and post Class XII, I started assisting photographer Sumeet Chopra. By that time I had bought a semi-professional camera and had started shooting friends who were aspiring models. I assisted Sumeet for four years till I was 20 years old. Sanjay Gupta and my brother were friends. He was leaving for Mauritius to shoot Aatish with Sanjay Dutt for 40 days. I asked him if I could go with him. I told him, 'I won't charge a penny. Just ask your producer to pay my cost of rolls and travel.' His producer agreed and that changed my life. In Mauritius, I took some shots of of Sanjay Dutt and those became the publicity posters of Aatish. I started getting a lot of film work post that and started shooting for magazines and became an independent photographer.
Which was your biggest break?
There was a period of 2-3 years when Pooja Bhatt was not talking to the media. I knew her through Atul Agnihotri and she agreed to do a shoot for me at that time. We gave out those pictures and everyone went crazy with them.
Who do you love the most in the world?
My mum. One thing I must credit my parents is that in the 90s a photographer had no respect but they were gutsy to let me become one. My dad was unwell but my mom was gutsy enough to go to the shop to look after it once I decided that I wanted to pursue photography . Even though at that time Rs 11,000 was big money, she gave it to me for my camera. But she said, 'I am loaning this to you. When you earn it, you will return it.' She made me realise the value of money. I still remember paying her Rs 2,29,600 for my dad's second hand Maruti car as she wanted me to value money. And then there came a time when I started making more money in a day than my dad made in a month and for many years, I was running the whole family and I felt good about it.
You and your wife Manisha make for a great couple who are always inseparable. Talk about her?
By 2004, I was established in my career, but both Manisha and me were on this trip of not seeing people to have an arranged marriage. She used to work with The Times of India at that time in the NIE department. We met through common relatives and barely spoke for five minutes. The only thing we connected on was our common birthday on December 24. Her dad asked me if I would take her for all shoots and I said, 'I will sometimes' and he was not happy. He visualised a film photographer with models around him. But Manisha and I felt a connect. Later through her relatives I got her email id and sent her a mail and that turned out to be her dad's mail. I got a reply after three months, we started dating and it finally became a love marriage. Post marriage, she started working with me. We are very similar in many ways and both love photography, food and kids. What I most like about her is that she is even more sensible than me, is unbiased about her opinion of my work and contributes to me in every way. She is very organised. What she likes the most about me is my attention to every detail in her life. If she goes to a salon, I will come and see the colour of her hair, I will pick up a coffee for her and drop it for her. Even if she goes shopping for the smallest of things, she will take my view on it. I would adjust my shoots to ensure that I would make it with her for every doctor visit during her pregnancy. We have never fought about anything in life.
What was your lowest period in your life?
My dad was extremely proud of the fact that I was self made. My lowest period was when I lost him due to his illness six years ago.
You have shot with all the top stars. Talk about your experience of working with Amitabh Bachchan?
He was always amazingly punctual. We were once shooting in Paris for a book. The previous night we were out to Buddha Bar and we realised that we did not have enough pictures. And I told him, 'Sir, we are leaving back at 10 am tomorrow morning. Is it possible that we can shoot some more pictures at 7 am?' He looked at the time and it was almost 2 at night and he asked me, 'Will you wake up?' And he said, 'I will see you in the lobby at 6.45 am.' Next morning I reached the lobby at 6.45 am only to find that he was already there. I admire him.
Working with Akshay Kumar?
He is a really genuine person and makes for great pictures. I have been working with him since I started my career and he is still the same person even now. He is extremely enthusiastic about his pictures and is very clear in his head on how the pictures are going to be. He is also very fond of photography and always makes fun that he wanted to become a photographer so he had come to me to assist (though he did not) and how I threw him out of the studio.
What about Hrithik Roshan?
The first time he ever faced the camera was with me. He came to me and told me he wanted to make his portfolio. He didn't tell me at that time that he was Rakesh Roshan's son but just said that he knew me from school. We fixed the time for the shoot and he wore borrowed clothes from my friends. On the day we were to shoot, it started raining and I told him, 'I have this dilapidated place but I can set up the lights there and we can shoot.' With literally water falling from the ceiling, we shot. But from the time I first saw him through the lens, I knew this guy will be something else. He said, 'I will pay you after 10 days' and I agreed. After the shoot was over, he told me how he was Rakesh Roshan's son and he said, 'I am going to show him the pictures and if he likes them he is going to pay me money. And then I will come and pay you.' His dad saw the pictures, called me and said, 'Amazing pictures' but it was a month and Hrithik forgot to pay me. In those days, that money was important for me so I got my assistant to call him and tell him that I had given him a 50% discount but that the payment had still not come. He sent a cheque of the original 100% amount without reducing the 50% discount immediately and I felt so bad. Hrithik is a lovely human being.
Who for you is the most good looking male star?
Hrithik Roshan.
Who's the most punctual star?
Mr. Amitabh Bachchan and Akshay.
Who's the most photogenic male star?
Shah Rukh Khan. He just transforms in front of the camera.
Who is the most good looking female star?
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.
And who's the most photogenic female star?
Kajol.
How did you become a photographer?
I came from a middle class Sindhi family where my dad ran a Bombay Dyeing retail shop. I was always fond of gizmos and the camera too was one such for me. Even at a school picnic, I was always the guy with the camera. My elder brother Vicky became a chef so it was taken for granted that I would take over my dad's shop. I tried it also and can still measure and cut cloth, but selling bedsheets was not enjoyable for me at all. I studied at Bombay Scottish and post Class XII, I started assisting photographer Sumeet Chopra. By that time I had bought a semi-professional camera and had started shooting friends who were aspiring models. I assisted Sumeet for four years till I was 20 years old. Sanjay Gupta and my brother were friends. He was leaving for Mauritius to shoot Aatish with Sanjay Dutt for 40 days. I asked him if I could go with him. I told him, 'I won't charge a penny. Just ask your producer to pay my cost of rolls and travel.' His producer agreed and that changed my life. In Mauritius, I took some shots of of Sanjay Dutt and those became the publicity posters of Aatish. I started getting a lot of film work post that and started shooting for magazines and became an independent photographer.
Which was your biggest break?
There was a period of 2-3 years when Pooja Bhatt was not talking to the media. I knew her through Atul Agnihotri and she agreed to do a shoot for me at that time. We gave out those pictures and everyone went crazy with them.
Who do you love the most in the world?
My mum. One thing I must credit my parents is that in the 90s a photographer had no respect but they were gutsy to let me become one. My dad was unwell but my mom was gutsy enough to go to the shop to look after it once I decided that I wanted to pursue photography . Even though at that time Rs 11,000 was big money, she gave it to me for my camera. But she said, 'I am loaning this to you. When you earn it, you will return it.' She made me realise the value of money. I still remember paying her Rs 2,29,600 for my dad's second hand Maruti car as she wanted me to value money. And then there came a time when I started making more money in a day than my dad made in a month and for many years, I was running the whole family and I felt good about it.
You and your wife Manisha make for a great couple who are always inseparable. Talk about her?
By 2004, I was established in my career, but both Manisha and me were on this trip of not seeing people to have an arranged marriage. She used to work with The Times of India at that time in the NIE department. We met through common relatives and barely spoke for five minutes. The only thing we connected on was our common birthday on December 24. Her dad asked me if I would take her for all shoots and I said, 'I will sometimes' and he was not happy. He visualised a film photographer with models around him. But Manisha and I felt a connect. Later through her relatives I got her email id and sent her a mail and that turned out to be her dad's mail. I got a reply after three months, we started dating and it finally became a love marriage. Post marriage, she started working with me. We are very similar in many ways and both love photography, food and kids. What I most like about her is that she is even more sensible than me, is unbiased about her opinion of my work and contributes to me in every way. She is very organised. What she likes the most about me is my attention to every detail in her life. If she goes to a salon, I will come and see the colour of her hair, I will pick up a coffee for her and drop it for her. Even if she goes shopping for the smallest of things, she will take my view on it. I would adjust my shoots to ensure that I would make it with her for every doctor visit during her pregnancy. We have never fought about anything in life.
What was your lowest period in your life?
My dad was extremely proud of the fact that I was self made. My lowest period was when I lost him due to his illness six years ago.
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