Hiren Kotwani (BOMBAY TIMES; January 17, 2018)

Like every year, there’s a lot of excitement and intrigue around Dabboo Ratnani’s annual calendar, which launches today. And, it looks like the ace photographer has captured some unique shots of our favourite stars this time around as well. He explains, “Every year, I try to attempt something new. When I look at a shot of mine, I think, ‘What can be better than this?’ It becomes a competition with my previous work. Normally, one thinks that a full-length picture or a wider shot won’t be seen on a desk calendar. But this time, I have quite a few full-length and wider pictures, a few mid-shots and close-ups. So, there’s a lot of variety. In terms of concepts, outdoor shots, props and the result, I feel that this is my best so far.”

The surprise addition to the calendar this year is Miss World 2017 Manushi Chhillar. “She is the only newcomer on this calendar, and she hasn’t done a shoot like this before,” he sums up. Here’s a glimpse into what Dabboo is offering this year...

LENSMAN DABBOO RATNANI ON ALIA BHATT’S PICTURE
“I wanted to give Alia a grunge kind of vibe. We’ve used a lot of sand and ambar powder. In the past, we’ve done very sweet and happy pictures with Alia; this year, the focus is more on mood and expression. The idea was to show her in a different light. The composition and the background are treated in such a way that it adds a little mystery and a fierce vibe to the photograph.”

A sneak-peek into Dabboo’s annual calendar


ON AISHWARYA RAI BACHCHAN...
“Aishwarya photographs like a dream. This year, her picture has more to do with the gold dust kind of vibe. She was completely involved with the concept and gave a number of suggestions. We had a different kind of gold confetti and gold dust flying around. Talking about the picture, it’s more about her expressions — there’s a little bit of magic in the picture. We gave the studio a gold background and lit it up with candles. The idea was to lend the space a warm glow. Aishwarya has been a constant since my first calendar, and she is always keen to try new things.”


LENSMAN DABBOO RATNANI ON AMITABH BACHCHAN’S PICTURE
“With Mr Bachchan, I always try something crazy. Previously, I had shot with him at a barber shop, in an autorickshaw and even on a luggage trolley. For this calendar, I wanted him to be dressed up for a bike ride. It’s a quirky kind of shot. I wanted it to be something you cannot expect Mr Bachchan to do. He is always game for new ideas and, unlike many others, doesn’t check the pictures on the monitor. He has complete faith in me and says, ‘You come up with such different concepts; just tell me what you want me to do and I will do it’.”

ON HRITHIK ROSHAN ...
“At first look, you’ll feel that he’s not looking into the camera, but then, you’ll see the reflection. So, he’s watching you, and yet it looks like he’s not. Hrithik is looking cool in this photograph; and with the waistcoat, it’s a classic look. Though it’s a black and white picture, it’s bright and a little close-up as well. We experimented with a lot of expressions. The shot may look simple, but it’s tricky when you’re working with the mirror — it captures everything, so shooting with one is always challenging. Hrithik is extremely good-looking with a great jawline; not everyone can pull off an angle like that.”