His expressions and gestures as he outlined the most telling tales of the Bollywood had us spellbound.
A few years ago during a photo session for the launch of a Marathi magazine, Tee, I had the privilege to be photographed by celebrity photographer Gautam Rajadhyaksha.
As I entered the studio apartment I was sweating. I wondered why the ace photographer, who has shot the who's who of Bollywood and Indian industry, accept an assignment for the cover page of a magazine showcasing women in media.
Sensing my nervousness he tried to put me at ease by talking about politics over a cup of tea. Trying to make me comfortable, he said: “Oh, it’s a lovely saree. Perfect for my camera.”
I admitted: “I really feel intimidated with you behind the lens. You are such a celebrity.” But, he quipped: “Be yourself.”
As my colleagues reached the studio, the conversation got louder. Sending us one by one to another room for “light make-up”, the interaction veered from politicians to actors.
When asked how he makes people look beautiful in photographs, he replied: “There is beauty in every individual. It is not about faces, but the emotions, which come from within, that I try to capture.”
“I am never in a hurry when I shoot. The camera work is just 15 minutes. But I like to spend at least an hour before I hold the camera in hand to get the character at ease. While I chat I mentally note down their gestures. I shoot with my heart, not mind.”
While capturing Rekha in different moods is always a challenge, Madhuri is a delight, he revealed.
His expressions and gestures as he outlined the most telling tales of the Bollywood had us spellbound. Rajadhyaksha was also a great storyteller. And behind every photograph was a story — some promising a happy beginning and others a tragic end. He narrated an incident of an overambitious mother who pushed her daughter into a director's room for an interview with an advice: “Unbutton your top.”
“There is more to all that glamour we see when individuals are willing to throw themselves to attain stardom at any cost. Why only talk about exploitation of girls in film industry? Nobody talks about the exploitation of boys. It is horrifying,” Rajadhyaksha said.
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