Celebrity photographer Rohan Shrestha, who has shot popular international celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey, Ryan Reynolds, and Lionel Messi, has added actors Chris Hemsworth and Jason Statham to his repertoire. While exclusively sharing the pictures with BT, Rohan calls the experience “easy”.

“Both were unbelievably accessible and very easy to work with. They were just the nicest guys, they were just down to earth. They give you this aura of being free around them, allowing you to also just express yourself as an artist. Manasvi Gosalia, my partner in this endeavor helped me through this entire process,” the Mumbai-based lensman shares.

Rohan's shoot with Chris was a family affair, with the actor's wife Elsa and kids joining in on the fun. "It was a privilege to see Chris in a personal way, being a father and a husband and not playing any characters. Working with him and his family on set was a learning experience,” Rohan adds. 

Reminiscing his shoot with the Avengers star, he recalls, “We were shooting in various locations within Abu Dhabi itself. Somedays we had to shoot outdoors, and it was 48 degrees or 50 degrees, but he was just braving it all. He was an absolute trooper, keeping the crew entertained, laughing, and joking with just everybody. It was a grueling schedule, but he stood there and took photos with just about everybody - group pictures, individual selfies. He's just a dream guy to work with.”

He further talks about shooting the Avengers star in Mumbai. “Shooting Chris Hemsworth is a dream photo shoot. The guy is a freaking God to shoot with. I don't think he has a bad angle. I think if any of my photographs were bad, I would be a terrible photographer because the guy is sculpted for a shoot. I would love to shoot him on the streets of Mumbai,” he states.

As for Jason Statham, Rohan was surprised by the actor's quiet and down-to-earth nature. "He's really quiet. He doesn't say much. He just sits in a corner, and is very friendly, but he keeps to himself. And that's very cool. When a guy just sits alone on a very busy set just by himself, chilling, I find that very cool," Rohan reveals.

It is a classic pinch-me moment for Rohan, who has shot multiple Indian celebrities, but he admits to suffering from imposter syndrome. "I do sit down and think about the achievements. I feel I still want to do a lot more. But every time I do sit down, it's always gratitude. Sometimes I do feel like I suffer from imposter syndrome – how the hell did I get here? I'm still having holy shit moments. I'm living my life through holy shit moments, and I can't imagine living a better life right now,” he signs off.

Rohan Shrestha got to live his dream recently as he had the chance to shoot actor Ryan Reynolds. The photographer reveals that when he got a call to shoot Reynolds, he was at a loss of words. “I had the biggest smile on my face and it’s more special when you are a fan,” he says.

Raving the Hollywood actor’s professionalism, he says, “Ryan is a director’s actor. He will ask you what you want from him, and he will deliver that. He understood my process and was very technical about his questions. Even when he does improvs, he asks for feedback. For any technician, it’s great to work in an environment where your opinion is valued. But when he is on camera, he has this wit. His one-liners are epic. Sometimes, it’s not what he says, but how he delivers it and its timing, and then everyone is just hysterically laughing. Interacting with him felt like I was talking to a regular guy.”

A lot of Shrestha’s conversation with Reynolds revolved around an old project of the actor. “I mentioned how I loved his 1998 show Two Guys, A Girl And A Pizza Place. He was really surprised and told me that it is one of his most favourite parts. Talking to him one-on-one, on something I was a fan of 25 years ago, just made me feel fortunate about these gifts that life gives you. Sometimes, you also go through the imposter syndrome, like how the hell am I here?,” he jokes.

Earlier, the 39-year-old photographed footballer Lionel Messi, which, he says, was “my eternal goal. It felt like I had climbed Mount Everest.” Now, basketball legend Michael Jordan is next on his wishlist.

Photographer Rohan Shrestha has had an exceptional year, photographing Manchester United FC, the 10 captains of ICC cricket World Cup, and the soccer legend and his idol Lionel Messi. In August, he also captured Sofia Vergara’s beauty during a swift and professional ad shoot in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Vergara’s only request was to look elegantly glamorous, a task Shrestha accomplished effortlessly, leaving her delighted with the very first shot.

“The only thing that Sofia asked me to do was make her look old-school beautiful and be blasted like a glam diva. The shoot allowed me some time for conversations about my experiences in Saudi Arabia and Asia,” shares Shrestha. However, his collaboration with Shah Rukh Khan was the highlight of this year, especially after experiencing the actor’s charm.

Admiring Khan’s professionalism, humility and emphasizing how he showed respect for the entire team, Shrestha says, “I have been working with Shah Rukh for the last few years. He is a great human being and a photographer’s dream. We share a good rapport, as I have known him since childhood, when he would shoot with my father, Rakesh Shrestha.”

The photographer caught up with the superstar after the success of Jawan but found the actor as humble as ever. “After the shoot, he hugged and shook hands with my entire team—from the AD’s to the light men, including my agent. He treats everyone with equal respect. That is why he is a superstar,” says Shrestha.

This picture is special because it was one of the first few shoots that I did post the lockdown. Mr Amitabh Bachchan himself had just recovered from COVID-19. Amidst all of this, we did a shoot. After the shoot, I requested him to pose for my #PostPackUpShot. He obliged with this million-dollar expression. But just before I posted the image, he called me, and said he was wondering whether it was appropriate to post such a happy photo when there was so much sadness and gloom everywhere. I disagreed. I said a photo like this, and that too, of him, will only bring joy and hope to everyone that things are getting better. He took a pause, and in his inimitable way said, ‘Ok then, I leave it to you’.

This image of Sanju was shot on my first ever assignment in 1993, which was for the film, Aatish: Feel The Fire (1994). I was an assistant, and I had a fanboy moment when I met Sanju here for the first time. The picture is special as it also marked my entry into the film industry. We shot this on a fishing trip in Mauritius, for which Sanju woke us up at 5 am. I had a brand-new camera with me, and I was really scared to take it along, but Sanju ensured I got my camera along and said, ‘You will get the best shots of your life’. It turned out to be a launch pad for me once the hoardings of Aatish came up and this picture was published in magazines.

This shoot was beyond my wildest dreams. While clicking the pictures, my hands were trembling at the beginning. Messi was just a nonchalant guy – no airs, no tantrums, just professional. I have never used a tripod for a shoot, but for this one, I had to use it. He doesn’t speak English, so there was a translator, Jordi, who was helping us communicate. I happened to tell him that I am a massive Messi and Barcelona fan, and he insisted that I get a picture with Messi, but I was too shy to ask. After the shoot wrapped up, I went up to Messi and shook his hand and he walked away. Like a completely filmy moment, he came back and hugged me. That was my moment. After the shoot, I sat on the lawn and wept as I was overwhelmed.

Tara and I shot this picture in a studio, unplanned. It was a rainy day, and the sun came out briefly, so I told her let’s shoot some interesting images. The sun came out for literally five minutes, and we manipulated the shadows by using a couple of branches and leaves to create that sort of outdoor texture. We shot this in about two minutes, yet it turned out to be the best image clicked that day.

Celebrity photographer Rohan Shrestha released his photo series with footballer Lionel Messi after Argentina lifted the FIFA World Cup 2022 trophy in Qatar. Shrestha, who is a huge Messi fan, recalls clicking him. “It was beyond my dreams, it was my fantasy,” says the 37-year-old. The first time Shrestha’s friend told him about a shoot with Messi, he “couldn’t even take it seriously ”. He recalls, “It was a month of sleepless nights. You are always worrying before because you always think about the worst-case scenario.”

Shrestha is the first Indian photographer to shoot Messi. The photographer says that the process of the shoot was planned so well that he even did a mock shoot with a model just a day before the main shoot with Messi happened. “Before he entered, I was very anxious. I had a double espresso, which did not help at all,” he quips, adding, “When Messi came, he wasn’t like he was a star. He was like a regular guy, so nonchalant about these (starry) things. But when he sat for my first shot, my hand was shaking. I don’t usually shoot with a tripod, but I put the camera on a tripod.”

Shrestha couldn’t speak to Messi directly, as the Argentinian footballer doesn’t speak in English. However, they shared a beautiful moment, which made Shrestha teary-eyed. “I was chatting with him with the help of a translator. But my communication was primarily around the direction of the shots. And at the end of the shoot, I just happened to tell him that I am a massive fan. I told him that I have watched him in the stadium since 2006... I didn’t know how to ask for a picture with him because I am very introverted,” recalls the lensman.

He goes on, “I think the translator happened to tell Messi the entire story [about my love for him] and when I finished the shoot, Messi shook my hand and walked away. Then, he came back and hugged me. That was my moment, that was my life, that was my everything. Then I went outside and I wept. I was like, ‘What have I done to deserve this?’ Such moments are not in your control. If anyone ever asked me in 2009, ‘Who would you like to shoot?’ I would have said, Messi. It was always Messi.”

Did Varun Dhawan hint in one of his recent posts that celebrity photographer Rohan Shrestha could be soon tying the knot with his rumoured girlfriend Shraddha Kapoor? Varun got married to childhood sweetheart Natasha Dalal on January 24 and his social media post acknowledging Rohan’s congratulations has set tongues wagging. In his response to Rohan’s ‘lucky guy’ comment, Varun wrote, “I truly am. Hope you are ready.”

ETimes spoke to Shraddha’s father, actor Shakti Kapoor about it and he said, “I don’t know what reports and speculations are surfacing on the internet. But I shall always stand by my daughter.” When asked to elaborate on that statement, he added, “That means I’ll stand by every decision she takes in her life, including her marriage. Why only Rohan Shrestha? I will not have any objection to whoever Shraddha wants to marry.”

Talking about Rohan, Shakti said, “He is a nice boy. He does come home, but he has been doing that even during his childhood. Shraddha has not told me about her plans to marry him. To me, they are still just childhood friends. I do not know if they are serious about each other.”

The Shresthas and Kapoors are said to be family friends. Confirming that, Shakti said, “I knew Rohan’s father, Rakesh Shrestha even before he became a photographer. I have not only done several photoshoots with him, but we’ve also gone out together for dinners and drinks. He is a good friend of mine.”

Sometime ago, didn’t Shakti say that he does not see Shraddha getting married for the next two-three years as she is busy with her work? Pat came the reply, “I maintain that, but with time, children grow and take their own decisions. Shraddha is doing well in her career and I am extremely proud of her. She is currently working with Ranbir Kapoor (in Luv Ranjan’s next), who is unarguably my favourite actor in today’s times. He is even my son, Siddhanth’s favourite actor.” He goes on to add, “Shraddha will choose her partner and the time when she wants to get married herself.”

Saif Ali Khan’s son Ibrahim is the latest addition to the All Stars Football Club. After almost a year of staying off the field, team members were seen practising at a ground in Bandra on Sunday.

While Aparshakti Khurana, Vivian Dsena, Shashank Khaitan and photographer Rohan Shrestha returned to the ground to get back into action, Ibrahim made his official entry into the fold. Captain Abhishek Bachchan and vice-captain Ranbir Kapoor are currently away for professional commitments, but the team practiced hard in their absence.

The club members are gearing up for two charity matches, one in Dubai and the other in Bengaluru, in the next few weeks. To get in shape for it, they plan to meet at least once, every week for practice.

The squad also includes Arjun Kapoor, Aditya Roy Kapur, Kartik Aaryan, Dino Morea, Ishaan Khatter, Shoojit Sircar, brothers Armaan and Aadar Jain, Aditya Seal and Karan Deol among others.

Rohan Shrestha, 29, is sensitive, trusting of people and romanticises life to the extent of being naïve at times. Over an hourlong conversation in his Aram Nagar studio, he talks to Bombay Times about what it takes to become a photographer, life after his mother's unexpected death and why Shraddha Kapoor is his best friend. Excerpts:

Was photography the obvious career choice for you?
It was, but I didn't want the obvious choice, so I was trying other things till I was 18. I actually wanted to be a pilot. I loved photography regardless, but it comes with a price if you are the son of a person (his father is Rakesh Shrestha), who is so big in the industry in terms of the expectations. I started by shooting travel, as my parents would let me travel independently right from when I was a kid. My first trip on my own was with my cousin to Nepal at the age of 10. After Class XII, I was sitting at home and doing basically nothing. I used to play football, had no life and would just spend time with my girlfriend. All my friends had a plan, but I did not. Photography was my last choice. I had not been a Bollywood kind of kid. A lot of stars including Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan came home, but I never watched Bollywood movies and never hung out with stars. I was a bit of those nerdy, geeky kids not interested and not struck by either movies or stars. So I started assisting my dad, but for one year I did not like it at all. Then my dad once took me to Dubai to shoot Celina Jaitly and due to the travel, I started liking it.

Talk about a photographer's life?
Being a photographer involves networking, creativity, spending time with oneself ideating, understand the craft in terms of lighting, it involves constant research and the ability to keep up with technology. You can't just sit back and let competition pass you by.

Talk about your father Rakesh Shrestha?
My dad is inspiring at some points, but also strict. He is precise and inflexible in his ways. He does understand my point of view now, but while growing up, it was a little more steadfast. He is very disciplined and strict with timings. He finds me to be messy, but I know that there is organisation is my mess. I love him of course, but I can't be told what to do. While I was growing up, my dad used to travel a lot. He would be out of India for months, so communication was not ideal. My mom too was an airhostess with Air India, so actually I grew up with my maternal grandparents. I used to keep calling my dad and ask him to come home. It was very difficult as I was a single kid and with both dad and mum not at home, I spent most of the time with the maid watching TV. I wanted the attention of my parents and hated it then. Today, in hindsight, I can understand what the life of a photographer entails, but, at that time, I grudged him that. My mum was a fiercely independent lady and so was my dad and that is a part of me as well and today, I cherish that. My parents had the craziest relationship when they started, as my dad did not know English and she was a Goan who did not know Hindi. Their's was a very romanticized love where even though their parents were furiously against their wedding, they somehow managed. Professionally, I am steadfast when it comes to the creative part of my job like my dad. If I have an idea, no matter who I am working with, I will go ahead with that. I have learnt that from him that in photography you need to stand by your beliefs. Bollywood is a tough place. At the end of the day, you can be replaced. If you are successful, people talk to you and are your friends but when you are not, they are not. He has taught me to be very grounded in the industry. He has given me a platform and just wants me to do quality work and make my money. While my dad was hardcore glamour, I also do other kinds of photography but anything I know about photography, I pretty much have learnt from him.

Which stars do you consider your friends?
Shraddha Kapoor is my best friend. Ranveer Singh is someone I have grown up with. She is the first person I worked with. She is unabashed and we both are extraordinarily similar. We are both scuba divers. She too is emotional, highly sensitive and is as vulnerable as me and she too had it hard like me. We have travelled together and talk almost everyday. I have known Ranveer since I was four as we both went to the same school Learner's Academy and I acted in a play in which he was the lead. I love his energy and the fact that he is very loyal. He stands by his friends and the people he works with. He almost quit a film, as they did not want his hair stylist. Ranveer is a serious loyalist.

Talk about your mother Jean?
I had been an introverted child and it is my mother who helped me become the person I am today. I loved her the most in the world and I have always been very close to only her. It's not like I was not close to my dad but with him the relationship was more man-to-man but not intense. My mom was my best friend. When I was 13, she took a 7-year sabbatical due to her health reasons which is when we became really tight like a typical mom-son. To see your mum suffering is a very hard thing on a child. You make a choice to either help or not. I got attached to her during that period when I helped her and she got out of it. And then she went back to work in 2006 and again went into the same medical condition. She had medical complications and was going back and forth healthwise, but her death in 2009 was not expected. She was 50 when she died and was beautiful. She was everything to me. At the end of it, I grudged myself more than my dad as I regretted not having spent as much time with her. I went into a shell post her dying. I was a late bloomer and did not have a social life till 22. So, it was at 24 that I started discovering things like going to clubs and other such things which is when she died. I had also been very protected as a child and would not be allowed to go out alone. But then I had a girlfriend and started going out. It was hard for her as dad was fully working. Her death jolted him massively and he quit immediately after her death. He became a completely different person and is very emotional now. Before that, he was a rock and stone-hearted. I know he was a loving father, but after 2009 he became my father and mother. I took it with a pinch of salt as no one can replace my mother for me. Today, we understand each other a lot more, but at that time I was rebellious with him and would not talk to him.

Your father has remarried post your mother's death. Have you reconciled to that?
I was not the happiest, but I reconciled to it. I am happy about the person he chose. I supported his decision as we had a very long conversation about it and respect the fact that he came and talked to me and had a one-on-one conversation before he took that decision. He said to me, 'Look Rohan, I have to do this as I am in love again. I also have to look at it from the point of view of my future as I know at some point you will move out.' Which was true as I was thinking that time of going to New York and living over there for a while. That would have anyways taken a toll on me as I would have felt guilty had I left my dad alone and gone. Even though I had wanted to study abroad earlier, I could not have as my mum had not been well. And I know at the end of the day, he has found happiness. I lived in New York for five months last year and loved it. I have just started dating someone and am looking forward to living independently .

Any regrets in life?
Had my mother been alive, she would have corrected my partying and my relationship issues. My first relationship ended as I became heavily dependent on my first girlfriend after my mom died. I did my first independent shoot on May 22, 2009. She died on July 31. My first magazine cover released exactly one day after she died.

Priya Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; July 27, 2014)

Rakesh Shrestha has been a top film photographer, who has shot for over 600 films and every superstar in his time. He lost his wife Jean, whom he loved the most in the world in 2009, post which he has completely slowed down and now works minimally. He is emotional, but does not show it. But what he does flaunt is his health freakiness and his principles that he lives by. He always remains happy and is a fighter. Over an hour-long conversation in his son Rohan Shrestha's Aaram Nagar swanky studio, he opens up to Bombay Times about his first shoot with Neetu Singh, the knowledge able Rekha and how he considers Aishwarya Rai Bachchan the most beautiful actress that he has shot ever. Excerpts:

What made you take up photography?
We are originally from Nepal, but brought up in Mumbai. I am a Commerce graduate and so used to handle the accounts for a colour lab in my building. Seeing them process prints was really fascinating. We had a family business of trading in saffron, but I told my dad that I was not interested. My dad bought me a shop at the Oberoi, where we would take up projects for processing pictures. I used to work a lot with the consulates. On one occasion, the Arabs needed their urgent passport size pictures. I bought a camera costing just Rs 500 at Fountain and clicked them. Can you imagine way back in 1981, I charged them Rs 1000 for a passport picture and they happily paid for it? I used to rip them apart, but my service was always instant. Money was never a problem for me. I know how to make, multiply and invest money. If I am spending eight hours a day , it is my priority to ensure that I am making enough money. And that has always been my priority. Also, my relationship with each of my clients was long term. I started shooting with this cheap camera and when I saw the results, that too, without assisting anyone or without any formal training, I felt that I could do it. Oberoi was the only nightclub place in Mumbai at that time. So, seeing other glamour photographers' work, I realised that I can also do it. On Diwali day randomly, I landed on the set of the film Raj Mahal, as the producer was a Nepali, where Vinod Khanna and Neetu Singh were shooting. I hated the culture of just endlessly standing in the heat waiting to shoot the star. Later, I had shot Sharon Prabhakar for one of the magazine covers, which a film editor liked and she asked me to shoot Neetu Singh for the cover. And there started my ordeal.

Everyday I would land up on her set at Mehboob Studio and park myself there. While I did not get to shoot her, Neetuji saw me and just to get rid of me, she said, 'You come to Borivali tomorrow. I am shooting there.' I understood that she was not going to be in Borivali and just wanted me out of that place. Next day, instead of going to Borivali, I again went to Mehboob Studio and found her there. She finally felt guilty and told me, 'I will give you two minutes and then you just get out.' I had come without a camera not knowing for sure whether she was there or not. I ran back to my house, my hand shaking to bring my camera so that I would not lose the opportunity to shoot her. She gave me two minutes and I captured her different moods. Ethically I needed to show those pictures to her and offered the same, but Neetuji said, 'No, I don't want to see them.' Luckily, my picture was selected and Neetuji was on the film magazine cover. I felt that I would have to do another course to shoot filmstars, given their temperament. But after that day, I never looked back. Neetuji would call me on her set and I became her favourite photographer. Through her, I also met so many other stars. I have worked with all the stars at that time, but I really respect Neetu Singh. She is a fan tastic human being and a great soul. For me, the only thing that matters is how good a human being you are. She is very sensible and normal. She is the only one who is family-wise successful from that batch. I also have a lot of respect for Rekhaji. I love her a lot and as a photographer, I can tell you that she has great knowledge. Can you imagine she does her own makeup, styling and lighting? And then, Padmini Kolhapureji came into my life and I was really close to her.

Did you enjoy working with stars?
I have always backed underdogs. But the moment they become stars, I would say, 'Jai Ramji ki', as there are other newcomers waiting in queue. I have my own funda. I have never told anyone that I am very busy and don't have time. I always had time for the whole world. I believe that if a successful man has time for everyone in the whole world, he will never go wrong. Only people who don't value time, say, 'I have no time.' I never wear a watch, but have never been late. I was very hard-working, grounded and normal. Use me as much as you want, but don't misuse me. I make stars very comfortable while shooting, but I will not take your tantrums. As a star, you have to give me 100% just as I am giving 100%. Don't tell me that you have a hangover. I have worked with all the top stars, but would return who had not come prepared. In our film industry, the most challenging thing is how to live a simple and normal life. Stars cannot handle the success, power fame and money and that too, when it comes together. I always like to remain as a middle-class man and that is the way I am happy. It is my conscious effort to not get socially involved with film stars, as I cannot have their kind of lifestyle. And so to keep me going, I need to have different kinds of friends. With due respect, I am just a photographer. I know them all but they are not my friends. They have a lot of insecurity.

Which do you consider the most beautiful actress that you have shot in your career?
The two most beautiful stars (cosmetically) I have shot are Aishwarya and Rekhaji.

Who do you love the most in the world?
My wife Jean, who died in 2009. Her father was the Deputy Commissioner of Police and she was a Catholic. She was instrumental in my success. The whole day I used to work from 9 am to 11 at night, but she would be waiting for me endlessly. She used to love me immensely and taught me patience. We had a nice cosy family, but nazar lag gayee. She had a physical and mental problem. Emotionally as a girl, she felt insecure. Any girl would be. I would tell her, 'You beat me up, but I can't leave my work.' We used to go for holidays only to sleep for 16 hours. All the glamorous women around me did not affect me, but it affected her for sure. My romance was always hidden and so she always chased me to demonstrate my love more to her. She liked my sense of humour and the way I handled people. I wish she was alive to see my Rohan's (his son Rohan Shrestha) success. Her life revolved around him.

Talk about your son Rohan Shrestha?
I am not a strict father, but I will always tell him you cannot buy peace of mind and health at a shopping mall. You have to create it yourself. And this is where I want him to be disciplined. I tell him, 'You party, but also sleep.' Rohan is more emotional and sensitive than me though he is also not demonstrative. He will hide his day-to-day problems even though I know. As a photographer I can face read. I like that he is affectionate with people and highly car ing. I don't know whether he will be paid back emotionally, so he is vulnerable. I am . more practical. I find him messy and not as organised. Post my wife's death, he said to me, 'We will be together and live together for all our lives.' But I only told him, 'Once you have your own life, your own money, live by yourself.' We brought him up like that only. We would keep every thing outside and he would make his own breakfast and go to school. We only have the man-to-man discussions. I know that he will 100% be with me, but I know that if , I keep a distance he will be closer. I got remarried last year to Pooja. She is from Delhi, was an airhostess in Air India and is much younger to me. Before getting married, I took Rohan's consent. I may be his father, but would not take that liberty. He needs to be comfortable, otherwise I would not have got married. I am very happy and the word 'regret' does not exist in my dictionary. My life's first and only priority is Rohan's happiness. I don't want anything from him. I just want him to remain happy in life.