'I've lost a good friend!'
For actor Madhuri Dixit-Nene the news of ace photographer Gautam Rajadhyaksha passing away on Tuesday came as a rude shock.
"I still can't believe he's gone," Madhuri told DNA from her home in Denver. "He was like family. In fact, he considered Kajol and me daughters. When I got married, he said that his daughter's going away now. He even visited me when I had children and he would call them his grandkids."
"I have lost a good friend," said Madhuri, hoping that he went away peaceful and satisfied. "I do wish though that he could have inaugurated his photography school in Pune. That was his dream that he'd finally realised," added the actor, who was a personal favourite of the photographer. "That's what he always told me, but in fact, he was the one who was a fave with everyone."
Madhuri revealed that her first shoot was with Gautam and she was "merely a nervous newcomer. "I was about 17 when I walked in for my first shoot with Gautam. I was so insecure and unsure about make-up, the looks and all, but he was such a gentleman and put me at ease saying that I didn't need makeup at all. Then there was no looking back. I did so much work with him after that," shared Madhuri. "He was a beautiful photographer and wise, warm, generous, kind-hearted and giving in spirit as a person. He saw beauty in everything and his portraits were simply stunning."
"Shooting with him was always like a picnic," said Madhuri, as she spoke about him getting her favourite food during shoots. "He would get me kaande pohe and keep in mind what food I enjoyed."
She revealed that he was also a talented singer. "He was extremely well-versed in classical music and would sing beautifully. In fact, we would always have Latatai's or Ashatai's songs playing in the background during shoots. Once when I told him that I too loved their songs, he gifted me an entire collection of their songs that he recorded especially for me. I still cherish those cassettes," she said.
"It's hard to put in words the loss I feel, but I have lost a true friend and nothing can compensate his absence. I just hope that he's in a happy place. Miss you, Gautam."
Muses remember the master lensman
Gautam Rajadhyaksha, who was once the exclusive photographer for the reclusive Rekha, has also shot other personalities like business tycoon JRD Tata, master blaster Sachin Tendulkar and tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain.
In an earlier interview with DNA, Rajadhyaksha had revealed that his trade secret was that he looked for "untapped and unpredictable" beauty in his subjects. He had said his favourite muses were Nutan for her "simple beauty" and Madhuri Dixit, who was "beautifully spontaneous".
"Gautam has been my friend since the 70s. All the childhood pictures of Zoya and Farhan in all our family albums were shot by him," said lyricist Javed Akhtar.
Family pictures taken by Rajadhyaksha adorn the walls of the Bachchan residence. "Gautam has left behind a legacy that shall keep him in our hearts forever. The pictures that he took shall be with us always," said actor Amitabh Bachchan. Actor Boman Irani, who is also a photographer, said: "He made everything and everyone look so beautiful."
In the last few weeks, Rajadhyaksha was busy putting together a film script. "Gautam gave me a script and a story outline some time back. Unfortunately, he won't see the film being made," said author-filmmaker Pritish Nandy.
Ace celebrity photographer no more
Bollywood stars and lensman fraternity mourn Gautam Rajadhyaksha's death
Ace photographer Gautam Rajadhyaksha, 61, who had captured the various moods of some of the most glamourous people in tinsel town, passed away on Tuesday morning following a massive heart attack. His last rites were held at the Chandanwadi crematorium in the evening.
Over the years, the who's who of Bollywood, including singer Lata Mangeshkar and actors Rekha, Madhuri Dixit, Aishwarya Rai, Jackie Shroff and Salman Khan, have faced Rajadhyaksha's camera.
"He loved creative art in every form, including singing and writing," said Mangeshkar.
"I had the opportunity to be photographed by Gautam. And as you can see how he transformed me from nothing to something beautiful," said actress Hema Malini.
Portfolios and portraits shot by Rajadhyaksha are known to have helped propel the careers of several actors and models, including Tina Munim, Kajol, Abhishek Bachchan and Sheetal Mallar.
"The first time I ever did a professional photo session was with Gautam, who was a pioneer in glamour photography and possibly one of the sweetest and most gentle people you would ever meet," said Abhishek Bachchan.
Kajol recalled how she had faced Rajadhyaksha's camera as an awkward teenager aspiring to make it big in Bollywood. "Gautam with his unerring eye looked at me, shot me and showed me what I could look like," she said.
Rajadhyaksha started his career with the photo services department of Lintas India and his break in showbiz happened in the early 1980s when he shot portfolio pictures of actress Shabana Azmi, who was his classmate.
Soon, the talented photographer took up commercial photography full-time and joined Celebrity, a magazine run by his cousin - model and writer Shobhaa De nee Rajadhyaksha.
"Gautam's soft-focus style of photography was unique and his artistic personality was unmatched," said a grief-stricken De, who also considered Rajadhyaksha a close confidant. "It was a privilege for people to get photographed by him."
In 1997, Rajadhyaksha, who also mentored several budding photographers, had released a coffee table book Faces with portraits of several actresses over the years from Durga Khote to Aishwarya Rai.
Rajadhyaksha had also penned the screenplays for Kajol's debut film Bekhudi and Anjaam starring Shah Rukh Khan and Madhuri Dixit.
"Apart from being the best photographer in the industry, Gautam was very fond of Indian classical music and Marathi literature. His death is a huge loss to both the Marathi and Hindi film industries," said actress
Sonali Kulkarni, who played the lead role in the Marathi film, Sakh
i, which was written by Rajadhyaksha.
Rajadhyaksha shot with his heart, not mind
Shubhangi Khapre
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.
 | |
For actor Madhuri Dixit-Nene the news of ace photographer Gautam Rajadhyaksha passing away on Tuesday came as a rude shock.
"I still can't believe he's gone," Madhuri told DNA from her home in Denver. "He was like family. In fact, he considered Kajol and me daughters. When I got married, he said that his daughter's going away now. He even visited me when I had children and he would call them his grandkids."
"I have lost a good friend," said Madhuri, hoping that he went away peaceful and satisfied. "I do wish though that he could have inaugurated his photography school in Pune. That was his dream that he'd finally realised," added the actor, who was a personal favourite of the photographer. "That's what he always told me, but in fact, he was the one who was a fave with everyone."
Madhuri revealed that her first shoot was with Gautam and she was "merely a nervous newcomer. "I was about 17 when I walked in for my first shoot with Gautam. I was so insecure and unsure about make-up, the looks and all, but he was such a gentleman and put me at ease saying that I didn't need makeup at all. Then there was no looking back. I did so much work with him after that," shared Madhuri. "He was a beautiful photographer and wise, warm, generous, kind-hearted and giving in spirit as a person. He saw beauty in everything and his portraits were simply stunning."
"Shooting with him was always like a picnic," said Madhuri, as she spoke about him getting her favourite food during shoots. "He would get me kaande pohe and keep in mind what food I enjoyed."
She revealed that he was also a talented singer. "He was extremely well-versed in classical music and would sing beautifully. In fact, we would always have Latatai's or Ashatai's songs playing in the background during shoots. Once when I told him that I too loved their songs, he gifted me an entire collection of their songs that he recorded especially for me. I still cherish those cassettes," she said.
"It's hard to put in words the loss I feel, but I have lost a true friend and nothing can compensate his absence. I just hope that he's in a happy place. Miss you, Gautam."
Muses remember the master lensman
Gautam Rajadhyaksha, who was once the exclusive photographer for the reclusive Rekha, has also shot other personalities like business tycoon JRD Tata, master blaster Sachin Tendulkar and tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain.
In an earlier interview with DNA, Rajadhyaksha had revealed that his trade secret was that he looked for "untapped and unpredictable" beauty in his subjects. He had said his favourite muses were Nutan for her "simple beauty" and Madhuri Dixit, who was "beautifully spontaneous".
"Gautam has been my friend since the 70s. All the childhood pictures of Zoya and Farhan in all our family albums were shot by him," said lyricist Javed Akhtar.
Family pictures taken by Rajadhyaksha adorn the walls of the Bachchan residence. "Gautam has left behind a legacy that shall keep him in our hearts forever. The pictures that he took shall be with us always," said actor Amitabh Bachchan. Actor Boman Irani, who is also a photographer, said: "He made everything and everyone look so beautiful."
In the last few weeks, Rajadhyaksha was busy putting together a film script. "Gautam gave me a script and a story outline some time back. Unfortunately, he won't see the film being made," said author-filmmaker Pritish Nandy.
Ace celebrity photographer no more
Bollywood stars and lensman fraternity mourn Gautam Rajadhyaksha's death
Ace photographer Gautam Rajadhyaksha, 61, who had captured the various moods of some of the most glamourous people in tinsel town, passed away on Tuesday morning following a massive heart attack. His last rites were held at the Chandanwadi crematorium in the evening.
Over the years, the who's who of Bollywood, including singer Lata Mangeshkar and actors Rekha, Madhuri Dixit, Aishwarya Rai, Jackie Shroff and Salman Khan, have faced Rajadhyaksha's camera.
 |
"I had the opportunity to be photographed by Gautam. And as you can see how he transformed me from nothing to something beautiful," said actress Hema Malini.
Portfolios and portraits shot by Rajadhyaksha are known to have helped propel the careers of several actors and models, including Tina Munim, Kajol, Abhishek Bachchan and Sheetal Mallar.
"The first time I ever did a professional photo session was with Gautam, who was a pioneer in glamour photography and possibly one of the sweetest and most gentle people you would ever meet," said Abhishek Bachchan.
Kajol recalled how she had faced Rajadhyaksha's camera as an awkward teenager aspiring to make it big in Bollywood. "Gautam with his unerring eye looked at me, shot me and showed me what I could look like," she said.
Rajadhyaksha started his career with the photo services department of Lintas India and his break in showbiz happened in the early 1980s when he shot portfolio pictures of actress Shabana Azmi, who was his classmate.
Soon, the talented photographer took up commercial photography full-time and joined Celebrity, a magazine run by his cousin - model and writer Shobhaa De nee Rajadhyaksha.
"Gautam's soft-focus style of photography was unique and his artistic personality was unmatched," said a grief-stricken De, who also considered Rajadhyaksha a close confidant. "It was a privilege for people to get photographed by him."
In 1997, Rajadhyaksha, who also mentored several budding photographers, had released a coffee table book Faces with portraits of several actresses over the years from Durga Khote to Aishwarya Rai.
Rajadhyaksha had also penned the screenplays for Kajol's debut film Bekhudi and Anjaam starring Shah Rukh Khan and Madhuri Dixit.
"Apart from being the best photographer in the industry, Gautam was very fond of Indian classical music and Marathi literature. His death is a huge loss to both the Marathi and Hindi film industries," said actress
Sonali Kulkarni, who played the lead role in the Marathi film, Sakh
i, which was written by Rajadhyaksha.
 | |
Rajadhyaksha shot with his heart, not mind
Shubhangi Khapre
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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