EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS of Akshay Kumar, Alia Bhatt, Vidya Balan and Jacqueline Fernandez from Dabboo Ratnani’s 2019 calendar

The ace lensman shot Akshay Kumar on top of the metro

This was crazy because we shot on top of the metro at the Versova Yard. You can only think of Akshay Kumar to do something like this. It was a night shoot and this was a tricky shot to light up. But it turned out really well. You can see every detail, the depth and lighting too. We wrapped this up in about five minutes.

The photographer took a close-up shot of Alia Bhatt this year

The idea was to do a close up. Previously, we have done a lot of full-lengths. So this time, I thought we’ll keep it beautiful in the typical Dabboo Ratnani style of pictures where the actor looks absolutely stunning. My idea was to not try and make it look harsh or too edgy. I wanted to have beautiful pictures that you will want to keep in front of you through the year. On the right-hand side of the frame, you will see some smoke, which we created using some incense sticks. We tried to make it very dreamy, misty, and give it a very early morning kind of a fresh feel. Alia has a stunning face, so she could pull it off.

Vidya Balan

We have always tried to push the envelope with Vidya and do something sexy. In fact, her first picture in this stream was done by me. So, we have continued that tradition. She hasn’t attempted this kind of look with dreadlocks before. That’s why the lighting is slightly dramatic. The mood here is intense. It’s almost like being in her closet. In the foreground, there’s a mirror reflection of her as well. It’s like she is getting ready.

Jacqueline Fernandez and Dabboo Ratnani

I kick-started the shoot of my calendar with Jacqueline. This was an early morning crazy, fun picture. I had gone to do a recce of an under-construction property and thought we could shoot some grungy images here. Even Jacqueline was surprised, but when she saw the image, she was blown away. This was shot with natural light. I love these kinds of shoots. In the studios, there’s only that much you can do, but here the location itself adds so much drama. She came by 7.30 am and by 8.15 am she was back home.