For the queer at heart

What happens when you pair a New York-based photographer and a party organiser (with all the right contacts) for a calendar project? Something super hot and steamy of course! And that’s exactly what happened with iMagiNation’s brand new thematic calendars — Men At Work and The Zodiac.

With twenty-four stunning images, some of them so hot, they should be banned for the weak at heart, these calendars have a distinctive style of expression that will have you flipping your dates over and over again.

“Men At Work is a thematic calendar that explores the lives of men who toil behind-the-scenes to enrich ours. The calendar goes backstage for an exposé  that will raise eyebrows and make hearts race,” opens Abhishek Agarwal, one half of iMagiNation, who is also more popularly known as the founder of Pink Nation, the country’s biggest LGBTI event management company.

“In The Zodiac calendar, we align your stars like never before. We have combined the characteristics of the zodiacs and their respective Tarot cards — the result being extremely creative and strikingly different zodiac photos like nothing you have seen before,” he continues.

“Both Abhishek and I had great ideas and concepts for the calendars already. Then began these long hours of brainstorming sessions where we discussed the details of every shot. Doing the thematic shoot wasn’t new to me. Normally I do these in different places every year,” says Arnab Banerji, the photographer and the other half iMagiNation, adding to the conversation.

“Conceptually, these are radically different from anything you have seen before and with exceptional makeup, body art, prosthetics, lights, expression and poses — each and every one of the photographs have the appeal of a surreal masterpiece,” Arnab continues.

But why a calendar, we ask Abhishek... “I have always distributed calendars at the beginning of each year, but always used stock images for the purpose. It was often an easier thing to do and the costs weren’t as high as a shoot would work out to be. When I met Arnab, after he moved to Bangalore recently, we both realised that we could cut the costs down by partnering. The calendars were shot and we also chose models who were comfortable with being paid through royalties earned from the sale of the calendars. It all worked out well and now you have these masterpieces as proof of our efforts,” Abhishek explains.

With all our questions answered we ask the duo about the cost of the calendar and where it will be available. “We haven’t yet decided on the cost, but we’re launching the calendars today. The calendars should be available for purchase at quite a few locations in the coming week,” concludes Abhishek.