India’s top celebrity photographers – after decades of clicking the most glamorous faces of the nation – have zipped into faster tracks.
The advent of the digital era, drastic alterations in corporate advertising budgets and above all, that instinct to move on to more creative pastures, have all contributed towards the arrival of a new phalanx of photographers-turned-business entrepreneurs.
Even the earlier generation of click maestros – as emblemized by the late Gautam Rajadhyaksha -- had wished to diversify. As he did by penning film scripts (Bekhudi, Anjaam) but couldn’t realise his long-nurtured dream of directing a film, when his negotiations with Salman Khan came to nought.
Painting has emerged as an option but is still in the nascent stage.“See, I paint canvases because I like to. Period,” says hotshot Suresh Natarajan, who has also been longing to direct a feature film for over a decade now. Adds he, “ My paintings are very personal. When I want to sell them, I’ll let you know.”
Dabboo Ratnani who’s been snapping A-list glitterati since 22 years admits, “Change is essential. Online sites and apps are the way to go. My brother’s a chef, I’d love to join him as an investor. But it’s too premature to spell out my plans right now. Concepts and ideas can be stolen, you know.”
Over then, to, three of the most prominent image-makers who have already made that quantum leap forward. In their own words:
Atul Kasbekar, Bling Unplugged Productions, co-producer of film Neerja (Age: 51)
The glory days of print campaigns are on a fade-out. Meanwhile, the spends for online and television advertising are going through the roof.Movie, fashion and sport stars, more than aware of this, have become technically savvy. Shah Rukh Khan was always at the top of the game, suggesting a dozen options whenever he had to be photographed.
Once, there would freedom in the interaction between a star and the photographer. Today, interventions from PRs and art directors are increasing. Sufficient time and respect are denied to the photographer.
My shift to film production began organically. I was one of the few who believed unconditionally in the script of Neerja. After its overwhelming success, there are two to three new projects in the works. Since films can be even seen today on cellphones and I-pads, the audience needs a damn good reason to buy a ticket. Even my mother goes to the movies – at discounted ticket shows for senior citizens – only after checking out the reviews.
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About the Kingfisher calendars which I would photograph, it was fun. They continue to be a talking point. Frankly, I’m still happiest with my cameras but putting a film production together is a complex art. For me, it’s a coming of age.
Sumeet Chopra, Real Estate Developer and Art Dealer (Age: 51)
Fashion photography, ad campaigns – to date, I’m proud of my work for Raymonds, TV commercials, magazine covers, I’ve done them all. And then I was disgruntled. I never liked Bollywood photography. Editorial photos wouldn’t pay peanuts. With stars, you have to boost their already bloated egos. Enough, I had to quit. I didn’t work for a year, I needed to feel insecure to upgrade the lifestyle of my wife, Apeksha, and our two kids.
I took off to Goa for a holiday, noticed a home which I bought and designed it into a villa. Whoever saw it loved it, word spread and I ended up selling more than 200 villas and quite a few apartments, costing anything from Rs 50 lakh to Rs 5 crore each, via the site candyflosshomes.com. Plans are to extend this business to Thailand. The vision is mine. I have a team which does the hands-on work.
My mum and sister have been art gallerists. Currently, I’ve restricted myself to a selected group of art investors. Contrary to popular perception, the art market is flourishing, particularly for the works of the masters V S Gaitonde, Tyeb Mehta, F N Souza, S H Raza and M F Husain. What a relief really! I don’t miss doing those Bollywood photo-sessions at all.
Jatin Kampani, Founder of Online Store Merchantsofcool.in (Age: 44)
So far, it has been 20 years of creatively satisfying work. From the outset I chose assignments which I’d be involved from the conceptual stage, like the ones for the Rahejas and the Marriott group of hotels.
Around 2012, there were signs of change. Print work was nose-diving,. There was an exodus towards the social media. Simultaneously celebrities were getting into more endorsements than ever before. These frequently had to be done against white backgrounds and weren’t artistically driven at all.
That’s why six months ago, I started an Online Store with 10 more photographers on board. It’s a platform for photographers whose prints in limited editions can serve as art on walls, like a painting does. Right now, we’ve just about broken even but there’s been a rapidly rising interest. It’s about time that photography came out of the ghetto of images with a short shelf-life.
(The writer is a film critic, filmmaker, theatre director and a weekend painter)
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