A Master’s Snapshots

You have appeared on a number of shows but you tend to be a little media shy. Why is that?

I keep getting offered gigs on the other side of the camera. My last engagement was as a judge with Top Model India. I believe there is some chatter on renewing the same. I don’t think I would classify myself as ‘media shy’. I’d just rather be in the news when there is something to say.

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What is the selection process for a model for the swimsuit calendar?

We start getting calls from February and March from models and agencies to have their talents featured. This year one of the girls, a Sri Lankan supermodel actually connected over Instagram, so there’s always something new.

We shoot all aspirants in identical conditions in the studio and send colour corrected, but untouched images to the client. We also supplement them with images from the model’s portfolio so that they are aware as to what their previous commercial work looked like.

As a photographer, you are in a very crucial position, not only to make the models look good, but also, to enable a smooth and comfortable shooting experience. How do you ensure that?

It is a matter of being extremely professional and having everything under control. We have a very efficient, quiet and yet a very fun unit. The stylist, Allia Al Rufai and the makeup artist, Kapil Bhalla have been on the team for years now. The entire feel in the shoot is that of a massive comfort zone of competent professionals at work. I believe it gives the talents a soothing experience and the confidence to carry off the outfits.

Will the calendar ever be shot in India again? What challenges does shooting in India bring?

Shooting something like the calendar in India is challenging. Getting permits for locations, especially around the coastline is extremely painful. If we ever shoot the calendar in India it will be in an area like the Andamans, which is peaceful and quiet. Many in the industry believe that after Prabuddha Dasgupta, we haven’t had anyone close to his ability and vision.

What’s your take on that?

I think Prabuddha was a genuinely terrific photographer. I have nothing but immense respect for his ability. However, I do believe that every photographer has a speciality and we need to accept that some can be better at a certain kind of imagery compared to others.

For example, if there was a shoot that involved movie stars and you needed to do a day’s work in two hours along with an ad film shoot, there was no way that someone like Prabudha would be able to pull that off. Given the fact that movie stars are charging many crores for a day’s work, most clients would not have the luxury of devoting an entire day to print.

You are now producing films and are all set for your third release. The first two, Neerja and Tumhari Sullu, were not just endearing and great films, they did extremely well at the box office as well.

How does it feel stepping away from the camera?

My job as a producer as I see it, is really one of playing Zubin Mehta, in the sense that the conductor is not personally playing any instrument but has to work with everybody and create a symphony. I have been blessed with an amazing partner in Tanuj Garg as well as my other partners in Bling (Atul’s production house). We like to create a platform of creative enterprise where there are no egos and literally anyone can say anything towards the process of making a good film.

Who among the current lot of photographers do you think has the potential to stand out? Personally, I think Tarun Khiwal, Prasad Naik, Suresh Natarajan, Tejal Patni, Bharat Sikka are terrific, to name a few. Of the younger lot out there I like Rohan Shrestha’s work. For corporate portraiture and glamour swimsuit, I would quite certainly be at or near the top of that heap, in anyone’s list I believe.

From the February 2019 issue of FHM India.