From launching India’s most iconic calendar to capturing timeless portraits of superstars—Dabboo Ratnani is literally on a roll

When you think of celebrity photography in India, one name flashes brighter than the rest—Dabboo Ratnani. With over 25 years of experience, he’s not just a photographer, but a cultural icon. His annual calendar, launched in 2000, has featured everyone from Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan to Priyanka Chopra and Alia Bhatt, and is now archived in the Oxford library. He’s been awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Excellence Award, honoured by Giants International and seen judging shows like India’s Next Top Model and MTV Made in India. But ask Dabboo, and he’ll simply say, “I’m still that guy who just loves taking pictures.”

A boy with big dreams

Dabboo didn’t inherit a legacy—he built one. “I didn’t come from a film background. But I came with love—for cinema, for faces and for stories,” shares Dabboo.

As a boy, he loved gadgets. His other love was flipping through magazines, mesmerised by cinematic stills. That fascination slowly bloomed into a curiosity when his father brought home a camera. “I knew I wanted to make people pause with a picture—to make them feel.” That curiosity turned into a calling when he began assisting photographers like Sumeet Chopra. Slowly, frame by frame, he built a dream of his own.

The calendar that became a tradition

In the year 2000, when no one imagined a calendar could be more than a date-keeper, Dabboo redefined the idea. “I wanted to create something India hadn’t seen—portraits that had a soul. People thought I was crazy,” he recalls. “They asked, who would buy a calendar of Bollywood portraits?” But his gut said otherwise.

With a single concept and a lot of courage, he shot his first celebrity calendar—and Bollywood never looked the same again.

Today, his calendar has become a collector’s delight, and a moment stars wait for. “The calendar became a canvas,” he says. “I wasn’t just photographing people—I was telling stories.”

It’s all about the vibe

For Dabboo, photography is more about energy than equipment. “You can have the best camera, but if the vibe’s off, nothing works,” he explains. From Hrithik Roshan’s brooding charm to Kiara Advani’s freshness, Dabboo’s portraits bring out a side rarely seen. “I don’t want people to pose. I want them to feel free,” he says. “That’s when magic happens.”

Behind the lens

What powers the man who powers Bollywood’s most iconic shots? Family. “Manisha, my wife, is the silent force behind everything. She’s my anchor,” he smiles.

His children— Myrah, Kiara, and Shivaan—have grown up amidst lights, laughter and the scent of camera rolls. “Our calendar isn’t just a professional project; it’s our family’s tradition. We create it together, pouring our hearts into it. That makes it magic.”

Still dreaming, still clicking

Despite the global recognition, Dabboo remains refreshingly humble. “Even today, I get butterflies before a big shoot,” he says. “That’s how I know I still care.” In an industry that’s ever-changing, Dabboo’s images stay timeless—because they carry heart. “I didn’t chase fame,” he reflects. “I just followed the light.”

And that’s the legacy he’s still building—one frame, one

feeling, one unforgettable moment at a time.

Lifestyle