Rekha: Filmfare's Most Frequent Cover Girl

Not sure Filmfare itself has an archive of all her covers. 

Rekhaon Filmfare cover. 

Bollywood's favourite celebrity photographer: Rakesh Shreshta

The only reason I know of Rakesh Shrestha is because of magazine credits in the late 1980s and early 90s of Bollywood based film magazines-- somehow, all my favourite images (particularly those of Sridevi, Manisha Koirala, on occasion Rekha) were by this mysterious man who seemed to have access, a deep friendship with ALL the tops stars of their time. Very little is known about him publicly... which might be his wish, but we wanted to secure his status as one of the greats that percolated Mumbai film industry and the juggernaut that is Bollywood.  

So here's a mini dive. The once prominent Indian still photographer is best known for his extensive work in Bollywood, where he captured publicity stills and special photography for over 600 films, making him a prominent part of not just film journalism, but films itself.

Born on October 5, 1956, in Bombay (now Mumbai) to a family of Nepali origin, he was raised in the city which would be synonymous with the film capital of the world. A commerce graduate, he initially worked in a colour lab handling accounts before transitioning to photography. Without formal training or assisting others, he started in the early 1980s with a modest camera, initially doing urgent passport photos and building confidence through persistence and self-taught skills.

His breakthrough came after persistently approaching actress Neetu Singh on film sets, eventually shooting her for a magazine cover that launched his career. This led to long-term collaborations with major stars, including Rekha (with whom he worked extensively starting around 1981 and praised for her professionalism, creativity, and technical knowledge of lighting/makeup), Aishwarya Rai Bachchan (whom he called one of the most beautiful actresses he photographed), Sridevi, Jackie Shroff, Sanjay Dutt, and many others.

Notable film credits include still photography for Chandni (1989), Lamhe (1991), 1942: A Love Story (1994), Vaastav: The Reality (1999), and others, often for major productions like Yash Raj Films.

He built a successful career through charm, persistence, and creating comfortable environments for stars. After the death of his first wife, Jean, in 2009, he significantly slowed down and largely stepped back from active work to support his son Rohan Shrestha’s photography career (avoiding competition for assignments) and focus on family. He has a second son, Rihaan, from his later marriage.

Shrestha is remembered as a self-made industry veteran who documented key eras of Hindi cinema through his lens. 

In the west, most photographers recap their portfolio in mighty coffee table books and so far, Shreshta has resisted the temptation to publish his incredible work over the past 40 years. One imagines the sheer volume of negatives and series of images of stars to be monumental, a herculean task awaits. We all live in hope he'll publish a book that's not only a retrospective of his personal musings and muses, but an archive of some of the greatest stars that came and went in the transient space that is Bollywood. Stars shine and fade, supernovas are forever-- Rakesh Shreshta in capturing many celebrities is at risk of being one himself. 

Aishwarya Rai in Kandukondain Kandukondain (2000)

Released on 5 May 2000, Aishwarya Rai's most flawless performance in Tamil cinema is in the much-loved Kandukondain Kandukondain (2000).

An almost flawless film, the movie is entertaining and a clever Indianised adaptation of a classic novel. Ash, 26, looks and acts so well in this Tamil language re-telling of Sense and Sensibility. 

Taal 2 without the original cast? No thanks. No Aishwarya Rai. No Anil Kapoor. No Akshay Khanna and No AR Rehman? Oh no!

Earlier this week, news filtered through that Taal 2's sequel is in the works. A collective groan rippled through the net - esp by those who know of the industry. 

At age 81, once a prominent film maker (both as producer and director), Subhash Ghai (born January 24, 1945) hasn't had a hit film since...Taal (1999), so a late sequel is unsurprising, if not unwarranted. 

A big commercial success in India and overseas, after that, Ghai has been behind one mega flop after another, including, Yaadein (2001), Kisna (2005), Black & White (2008), the painful Yuvvraaj (2008), Kaanchi (2014), and Hero (2015), all were mostly flops or disasters at the box office. Some might say otherwise about Hero - but really, no.  

Ghai has largely stepped back from directing big theatrical films since then, regaling others on recent podcasts and interviews of his glory days in the 1980s and 90s.  The magical Midas touch, the showman tag he earned... all but gone, as he lives of the faded glory of being once the most powerful producer in India. Famously ill-tempered, who spoke in a rather unique manner with his broken English. It didn't matter because he was fluent with the idiom of Hindi cinema, particularly commercial cinema. Great music, great show-piece song and dance routines, aesthetics, and even choreographed violence. He knew what mattered; mothers, mother India, and music!  Throw in some sensuality, iconic characters with catch phrases and a pacing that glossed over any errors or logic. 

His more recent involvement has been as a writer/producer, notably with 36 Farmhouse (2022), which sort of succeeded on OTT (described as a "silver jubilee hit" in terms of viewership)... but really, who can tell? Those numbers are not open to public or accounting scrutiny! Anyone at an online platform can state a film or show got more views than Superbowl - how can one corroborate it?! The film was almost universally panned (apart from the performances of the underpaid Sanjay Mishra and Vijay Raaz!) but the PR insistence that it was a ratings bonanzas makes one... suspicious. 

Ghai always had a great sense of music. Now he's gone the SLB way! 

Ghai relying on the IP and leaning heavily on the memories of his last blockbuster, by announcing a sequel to Taal is... a shoulder shrug. Sure, its making a few headlines now, but as a director, Ghai has had a string of theatrical flops in the 2000s–2010s (roughly 4–6 consecutive underperformers in big releases from Yaadein onward, depending on how you count producer-only credits or smaller films). 

He has not had a major theatrical directorial success in over 25 years. Ghai remains active in the industry as a producer, mentor, and occasional writer, and he is still respected for his earlier blockbuster era (e.g., Karz, Hero, Ram Lakhan, Khalnayak, Pardes)... but he is so out of touch now, and his constant denial of his fiascos when the writing is on the wall... is pitiable. 

We celebrate the man for his vast achievements of days long gone. He needs to pass the mantle on, perhaps as mentor and let new gen write, direct (a physically taxing job and Ghai has been looking all of his eight decades). Even Rakesh Roshan hung up his boots - and he hasn't had a flop in eons! 

Ghai is stepping on the ignoble footsteps of Dev Anand (who famously had only flops the last four decades of his life, who made films that got progressively or should we state regressively worse)... that might all but eclipse his legacy.

Taal worked for the magic of its music, Aishwarya Rai's epic beauty, the casting, writing and direction of Subash Ghai. Did I mention music? But he was 54 then, is the octogenarian willing to take on this new gen? Not only the new gen of audiences but new gen cast and crew who are no longer willing to work unethically long hours for nominal pay?! We're about to find out!

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

Rumours have it that Aishwarya Rai Bachchan will attend her first Met Gala this year. Lord in heaven, let her not wear something insane... 
 

The fake AI pic of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan

 

Fake AI Aishwarya Rai pic

As she seems to make one dreadful misstep after another when it comes to sartorial selects, makeup and hair, self-proclaimed stylists with the aid of AI have repackaged Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in more elegant ways that the red carpet monstrocities she has worn in recent times. 

Ah the eye rests at last. Just a simple black ensemble for the preternaturally precious one. 
 

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in Sabyasachi

Aishwarya Rai in icy blue: The face, the eyes, the icon

Only the first picture is real, the other are AI manipulated hallucinogens of what Aishwarya Rai would look like in different poses. The fakes are getting better and better with each passing day. Tragically. 

 

Deepike Padukone at the TIME 100 Red Carpet