Boney Kapoor remembers the late great Gautam Rajadhyaksha: His last shoot with Sridevi

Boney Kapoor, "Magic of Gautam Rajdakshya , these pictures were shot by him at his home while Sri was pregnant with Janhvi, created these images with just natural source of light. 

Remembering Gautam da today - his birth anniversary. 

Remembering Bollywood Celebrity Photographer: Gautam Rajadhyaksha: Sridevi's Versatile Looks Shot by Him

Remembering Bollywood celebrity photographer Gautam Rajadhyaksha today,  16th September, on his birth anniversary. He would have turned 73, had his large, kind-heart, not given way that fateful day in 2011, three days shy of his 61st birthday.  

Thanks to his cousin, writer, editor, novelist, Shobhaa De, I had the opportunity to chat with the great Gautam Rajadhyaksha for a feature on his Bollywood portraits for Prestige magazine (syndicated around Asia). Off the record, we spoke at length about my favourite Sridevi and his favourite Madhuri Dixit. What made them similar, what made them unique, how he would cast the two together in a film (a wish many, many film makers had in the early 90s). 

His singular ability to make anyone and everyone comfortable, the fact he balanced such gigantic celebrity egos with such elegant ease, that for his long tenure as a film photographer and occasional journalist (he did not only Sridevi's first cover story for Filmfare, he conducted and wrote the entire interview with his impeccable linguistic skills), not one soul has anything negative to say about him. In an industry filled with historical grouse and tu-tu-main-main, he swanned above all in his pristine kurtas and printed shawls. He had a fab sense of humour, but he never betrayed anyone or harmed any soul. 

From what little I know of him, and through the power of years of observation, he was indubitably a connoisseur of fine arts, a man of great taste and aesthetics. Be it in his writing, photography, refined proclivity for opera or paintings, the man liked high art in every single way. 

When the starlets disrobed for the camera or had a suggestive pose, it was with reference and reverence to renaissance paintings and Greek sculptures as a springboard for an idea. He liked soft lighting and sensuality, when the 90s were breaching good taste and stark reality. There wasn't a hint of vulgarity in the renaissance man. Ask about him and watch Kajol and Madhuri Dixit-Nene tear up, ask about him to his family and hear them reflect with fondness and nostalgia, ask about him to a complete stranger like me and see how we sigh with regret. That one chance to meet in person was taken away by cruel fate. "Honi ko kaun taal sakta hai, poochne waale, bahut milenge..." 

The images will live on forever Gautam da; you made mortals into movie stars, the ordinary into the extraordinary. You gave them class, when all they had was sex-appeal, you gave them gravitas, when they were floundering.  

My sophomoric dream in youth was to become a film magazine editor in Mumbai and have Gautam da do all my cover shoots. Alas, alas, alas.  

Rest in peace Gautam Rajadhyaksha. Although, knowing you, you've requested the angels to sing Pucinni...

MORE

• Over 100 portraits of Sridevi in the archive here, all photographed by Gautam (with makeup, more often than not by Mickey Contractor). 
• Portraits of other celebrities by Gautam Rajadhyaksha here.
• Interview with Gautam here.

Sridevi by Gautam Rajadhyaksha

 

Sridevi by Gautam Rajadhyaksha! 

So cute. So gorgeous! 

One was shot in the early 90s - the other, in 1997 - one of the last shoots she did with Gautam da... 

You can see more of Sridevi's cute cap series - shot in her house here in the archives. 

Sridevi's high ponytail for Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja: 90s Bollywood

Sridevi on the sets of Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja. Her look from the title song. Well, there were a few title songs in the movie; 1) Main Hoon Roop ki Rani, 2) Tu Roop Ki Rani, Tu Choron Ka Raja, 3)  Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja rap by Bali... 

Sridevi portraits

Portrait: Sridevi

Sridevi.

Gautam Rajadhyaksha on Sridevi B Kapoor

Sridevi by Gautam Rajadhyaksha

Sadly, we never met in person... but the late great Indian photographer Gautam Rajadhyaksha and I spoke often online and on the phone. We did a long interview for PRESTIGE magazine  - spoke for several hours and often thanks to an introduction from the awesome Shobhaa De (Gautam's cousin!).

Randomly, was searching for something and found some messages on Facebook - our last few conversations. Of course Gautam da and I talked about... Sridevi!

Here are a few excerpts from 2011.  RIP great one.

• 

  5/27, 6:39pm

  Gautam Rajadhyaksha
  

  
  

  Sure,let them take their time. Of course I have been to Hong Kong twice...enroute to San Francisco and once as a stop-over returning from Canada.But! That was during dear Queen Elizabeth II's reign!! Incidentally, last week I spent an afternoon at Sridevi's and thought of you! Love, Gautam
  
  
  Gautam Rajadhyaksha
  

  You know Sridevi has lost so much weight that her once round face is as long as Katherine Hepburn's...and she doesn't really have Kate's calcium deposits and she looks a good 2 inches taller...as it is she is 5' 10". Briefly, she is quite an altered person. Pretty but really very different. G.
  
  Gautam Rajadhyaksha
  Oh, I feel about Sri very very strongly...afraid no one has beauty, voice, talent, dance, grace, Indian femeninity (Hussain's phrase,not mine) all packed neatly into one package like Sri
  
  Gautam Rajadhyaksha 
  
  
  

  I am in complete agreement with your sentiments... I too adore Sri and, if we ever get down to talking about her, I could share with you such rare and wonderful moments I have had with her over a period of 15 years. She is a darling. Love, G.
  
  See the entire archive of Sridevi pictures taken by Gautam da here.

Cherub Sridevi in Leopard print!

Since the 1980s, our concept of beauty in Bollywood has changed. Be it in makeup, hairstyles, accessories or clothes. Sridevi, a model of her times, worked whatever was in vogue and put her original spin on it. With her angelic, cherubic face and those large, expressive eyes, this look might be cringe-worthy on anyone else. Here, she just looks delightful! That hint of a smile, all those expressions, she even carried her weight beautifully.

Gorgeous portraits of a Bollywood icon and true-blue fashionista, Sridevi.

Also see earlier post of chubby-cheeked Sri - gorgeous as ever - here. Shoot from the 1980s.

Portraits

Sridevi portraits from over the years. Gorgeous.

Stardust Annual 2014 Portrait: Sridevi by Vickky Idnaani

vickky idnaani ‏@vickkyidnaani Nov 28

my photoshoot @SrideviBKapoor for @Ramkamal's @Stardust_Magna annual. @anitadongre @tanya1ghavri @kantamotwani

Photographer Vickky Idnaani got a rare chance to take a portrait of the Queen of Bollywood Sridevi for a collector's edition, Stardust annual 2014. 

Gorgeous snap of the Indian icon has gone viral online.  

It's not the first time the young photographer got a chance to capture her on cam, he shot Sridevi for Stardust just before the release of her film English Vinglish.

From the magazine, a short excerpt:

"...Gauri Shinde's much-acclaimed English Vinglish, which was also yesteryears-actor Sridevi's comeback film, is the second highest grossing film in Japan. The veteran star even traveled to Japan where the film was premiered in the presence of the country's first lady, Ms Akie Abe. The film is receiving positive response and doing well in international markets..."
-- Stardust Annual, 2014

Obviously, we love Sridevi more than life itself - I mean why else would we have this fan blog for so long - but not loving the chipku hair, bland makeup... or the Anita Dongre outfit. It's not befitting the Queen... Sridevi in photoshoots usually looks ethereal, regal, imperial, diva-esque. This is rather mundane for her...  Oh well. We live, we learn. We move on! 

Sridevi flanked by the Stardust magazine editor and photography crew

UPDATE:  Sridevi shoots for a commercial with Vickky Idnaani and crew.