Showing posts with label Manisha Ratnani. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Manisha Ratnani. Show all posts
Images: Sneak peek into Dabboo Ratnani's 2020 calendar, which launches today
8:33 AM
Photographer Dabboo Ratnani's gives sneak peek into Parineeti Chopra and other stars' look from his calendar; he styles Pari as a biker chick
Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; February 17, 2020)
It's that time of the year again when Bollywood's favourite photographer Dabboo Ratnani unveils his calendar. Ahead of its launch today, Ratnani shared three exclusive images from his 2020 calendar with mid-day. Describing Parineeti Chopra's picture as one of the hottest of the lot, the ace lensman says that he gave the actor a grungy, biker girl look. "Parineeti is in top shape and she could pull it off. At the same time, I wanted a feminine touch, so we gave her smoky eyes and the lacy corset."
The calendar features Shah Rukh Khan, the Bachchans (Amitabh, Abhishek and Aishwarya), Akshay Kumar, Hrithik Roshan, John Abraham, Kartik Aaryan, Tiger Shroff, Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt, Anushka Sharma, Jacqueline Fernandez, Sunny Leone, Kiara Advani, Kriti Sanon, Parineeti Chopra and Vidya Balan. The debutants this year include Bhumi Pednekar, Vicky Kaushal and Ananya Panday.
Ratnani says, "The fastest shoot was with Akshay Kumar. We wrapped up in five minutes. My pet pooch, Flash, also features with Akshay in the photograph."
About his shoot with Khan, the ace lensman says, "Though he is sporting a suit in the picture, there is an air of casualness to it. The unbuttoned shirt and jacket look was to depict the end-of-day look."
The 2020 offering marks 21 years of his calendar. It coincides with his 25th year in the industry.
"The calendars are a mark of my love for photography. I don't sell them. It's gifted to media, fashion and film folk."
This year, the calendar is launching a month late. "I lost my mother in November and it took me a while to focus again on work. My mom was my pillar of strength." Ratnani adds, "My wife Manisha shoots the behind the scenes. She takes care of the pre and post-production. My kids, Myrah, Kiara and Shivaan bring in lots of smiles and energy on the set."
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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