Dabboo Ratnani’s annual calendar featuring Alia Bhatt, Vidya Balan, Ranbir Kapoor, Deepika Padukone and others was launched recently. He chats with Divya Kaushik about his personal bonding with the stars
Not everyone can dare to tell Shah Rukh Khan to pose on satin sheets like a glam doll or Vidya Balan to put that pout in place and strike a bold pose. But if the one who’s controlling the camera is Dabboo Ratnani, then second thoughts or doubts are out of question. The renowned photographer who has been the favourite lensman of the tinsel town stars makes sure that his experiments with the actors are talked about far and wide. Over the years his celebrity calendar has become the most awaited thing and the same was launched recently in Mumbai. Apart from those who feature in his calendar almost every year — Kajol, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Hrithik Roshan and Bipasha Basu — the new entrants this year are Parineeti Chopra, Alia Bhatt and Varun Dhawan. “There are a few stars without whom I cannot imagine this calendar and every year I add three to four new faces just to add variety,” shared the photographer.
It is interesting to note that every year Dabboo manages to present his friends (and stars) in different light. “It is a big challenge for me to better my own work every time with this calendar. But since I have known almost all of them from a very long time, it is not very difficult to visualise them in a different way. And they always cooperate. With any of them I never had any clash of opinions, they trust me and my work. Also since I share a personal equation with them there is a level of comfort. For instance, I have taken Ranbir Kapoor’s pictures even before he did Saawariya. He is always upbeat about the shoot and gives his hundred per cent to whatever my vision is. It is fun to shoot with friends,” said Dabboo and added that knowing the personal traits of actors helps him come up with new ideas. “like I knew that Alia loves cats so I conceptualised the shot which makes her look glamorous but also reflects her love for animals. Priyanka Chopra has been shot in a very funky way, giving out what she is as a person. Same goes for Bipasha, who looks absolutely stunning and in great shape in leather boxers and biker jacket. But while the shoot reflects what they are as a person, it presents them in a way like never before. If you will watch Vidya Balan, she looks bold and sensuous and very different to how she looked in the previous edition of the calendar,” he said.
Dabboo says that the most vivacious person when it comes to photoshoot is Amitabh Bachchan. “He has done so many photoshoots and it is amazing how he turns out to be best in all of them. He is really outgoing and willing to do new things every time I approach him with the idea,” he said, adding that Shah Rukh Khan is another person who is always keen on doing different things. “I know him since the time he came to Mumbai, we used to watch movies together, so we share a bond and that reflects very well in the pictures,” he added.
Studio shoots are not Dabboo’s favourite, he says shooting outdoors gives him an opportunity to use the props, and locations inspire him. “Also it is easier to tell a story through the background and it is very important for the subject to also enjoy the shoot and that’s automatic when you are shooting outdoors,” he signed off.