Present Atul Kasbekar with a pile of models’ photographs and he can sift out the finest, as he has proved time and again in the last decade. An idea that the ace fashion photographer took to business baron Vijay Mallya a decade ago, is now the iconic property of the UB Group. Since then, many have been ‘inspired’ to jump on to the calendar bandwagon.
“I went straight to Vijay with my idea. He was enthusiastic and said let’s do it and in a way that reaches out not only to 200 fancy folk, but to everyone who can appreciate it, ” says Atul, adding “Much like a cold beer that anyone can enjoy, as opposed to a 30-year-old Cognac, the calendar elegantly appeals to a cross-section of people.”
This year’s calendar, shot in Sri Lanka, was the ‘toughest and the finest’ according to Atul, “Unlike Paris, where every street corner is a location, we had to zero in on just a few spots in Sri Lanka. We shot from Negambo to Galle. This was the most challenging shoot,.” He continues, “I feel it has a lot more soul, and therein is my evolution as a photographer too.”
So is he now the man with a Midas touch, who can launch actresses? “I can certainly spot talent. When Priyanka Chopra first entered the beauty pageant world, I suggested to Dabur that they sign her on. They did, and she subsequently went on to win the Miss World title. Even Maya Haydon, Lisa Haydon’s sister, was recommended by me and she’s now doing a sexy number in Saif Ali Khan’s Agent Vinod. One of our girls, Tina Desai, is being directed by John Madden, who made Shakespeare in Love.”
Leisure can be a tricky mood to capture, so how does he ensure that the models emote right? “It’s a very chilled-out atmosphere. My team is friendly and professional. After the shoot, everyone chills out in my room and is welcome to unlimited alcohol,” he laughs, saying, “The girls know when to get into work mode and when to party. We are serious about the product, which is all about having a bit of fun, much like the brand itself.”
Over the years, has he made any firm friendships with the girls? “I am not sure I can call them all ‘friends’, but Katrina is very warm. Even Nargis Fakhri and Deepika are very cordial and nice. I am happy that we have been a significant part of their growth.”
The flamboyant Vijay Mallya is known to indulge those he works with... Atul laughs and completes the sentence, “Yes, he’s an awesome guy with the right attitude. He has offered me a spin on his yacht for my 40th birthday, but I did not want my friends to trash his yacht. Even his house in Goa is awesome. I just take some books along and chill there with family. But I don’t like taking advantage of my friend. I even fly full price on Kingfisher.”
Dr Mallya says, “Choosing a location itself takes several months and we thoroughly enjoy the process along with Atul’s team. I admire the girls for holding a pose for hours in extreme weather conditions; they’ve also shot with lionesses and then swum with sharks in the last edition. We are certainly getting more adventurous.”
