Based in Bombay,
Pradeep Chandra is a senior photojournalist who has worked with the Times of
India for more than 25 years. He has also worked for a host of other
newspapers and magazines and is the author of five books, three of which are on
megastar Amitabh Bachchan. His latest book, Amitabh Bachchan: The Forever Star, was released in 2022. I had an opportunity to speak to Pradeep about
his work as a photojournalist and an author, his books and the experience of
working with Amitabh Bachchan. Here are some excerpts from that conversation.
How did you get started with photojournalism? What changes have you seen in the profession, over the last two decades?
My first photograph, of Waheeda Rehman, was published in Filmfare when I was still in school. I shot that photo on the sets of Shankar Mukerjee’s film Baat Ek Raat Ki. Later, that photo also appeared full-page in Madhuri. While I was attracted to films, I always wanted to work with a newspaper because I loved reading the photographer’s name in daily newspapers, The Hindu Sunday edition and magazines like The Illustrated Weekly of India, Dharmyug and Saptahik Hindustan. I started as a stills photographer in Bombay, in Do Raaste and Mera Gaon Mera Desh, on Rajesh Khanna’s recommendation.
Unfortunately, the changes in the last 20 years, be it photography or journalism, have not been very positive. Everything has become too commercial. It all started with Bombay Times when one fine day the response department decided that BT functions coverage has to be paid for, which later was followed by almost all media houses.
Tell me about your latest book, Amitabh Bachchan: The Forever Star. How did the idea for this book come about?
I have done two books on Amitabh Bachchan earlier. First, AB The Legend: A Photographer’s Tribute, which was published by Rupa & Co. but is out of print now (though still available on Amazon). The second, Amitabh Bachchan: A Kaleidoscope, with Vikas Chandra. I was keen to do a book for Amitabh’s 80th birthday and approached Javed Akhtar to write a piece on him, for which he agreed. Then, I have reproduced a piece written by Shobha De published in my earlier book. Dolly Thakore, with whom Bachchan had done a play when she was studying at Miranda College, also wrote a piece for my book. When I met publisher Vikas Rakheja, he was open to publishing this book and that’s when I took it seriously. The Forever Star has been published by Amaryllis and has a brilliant cover shot by ace photographer Vikram Bawa.
How did you get started with photojournalism? What changes have you seen in the profession, over the last two decades?
My first photograph, of Waheeda Rehman, was published in Filmfare when I was still in school. I shot that photo on the sets of Shankar Mukerjee’s film Baat Ek Raat Ki. Later, that photo also appeared full-page in Madhuri. While I was attracted to films, I always wanted to work with a newspaper because I loved reading the photographer’s name in daily newspapers, The Hindu Sunday edition and magazines like The Illustrated Weekly of India, Dharmyug and Saptahik Hindustan. I started as a stills photographer in Bombay, in Do Raaste and Mera Gaon Mera Desh, on Rajesh Khanna’s recommendation.
Unfortunately, the changes in the last 20 years, be it photography or journalism, have not been very positive. Everything has become too commercial. It all started with Bombay Times when one fine day the response department decided that BT functions coverage has to be paid for, which later was followed by almost all media houses.
Tell me about your latest book, Amitabh Bachchan: The Forever Star. How did the idea for this book come about?
I have done two books on Amitabh Bachchan earlier. First, AB The Legend: A Photographer’s Tribute, which was published by Rupa & Co. but is out of print now (though still available on Amazon). The second, Amitabh Bachchan: A Kaleidoscope, with Vikas Chandra. I was keen to do a book for Amitabh’s 80th birthday and approached Javed Akhtar to write a piece on him, for which he agreed. Then, I have reproduced a piece written by Shobha De published in my earlier book. Dolly Thakore, with whom Bachchan had done a play when she was studying at Miranda College, also wrote a piece for my book. When I met publisher Vikas Rakheja, he was open to publishing this book and that’s when I took it seriously. The Forever Star has been published by Amaryllis and has a brilliant cover shot by ace photographer Vikram Bawa.
Pradeep’s photo of Waheeda Rehman was published in Filmfare when he
was still in school! There’s been no looking back for him since thenHow was the
experience of shooting still photographs of the legendary Amitabh Bachchan for
your book?
I haven’t shot pictures of Bachchan ji recently but yes when I was working with TOI group, he was always cooperative. I have a good collection of his images and also fellow colleagues were helpful when I wanted the pictures. I managed to find a school friend of his, Inderjit Khanna, who lives in Jaipur and got some school pictures from him, so overall it worked well and the production quality of the book is excellent.
When I gifted a copy to Anand Pandit, the filmmaker who also produced Chehre with Bachchan ji, he liked the book so much, he immediately called his secretary and asked him to order 50 copies. He loved it! When I met Bachchan ji the other day and asked him about the book, he said he also liked it. He is accessible but there has to be a reason to meet him. His office is very prompt in replying. At 80, he is still super busy – the only actor who is so much in demand. Dev Anand too was active till he lived, but in his case, Dev Saab was loved by everyone but no one was interested in the movies that he made in the last 20 years.
Lots of memories of Bachchan ji, his photoshoots and interviews. Even when he was very busy, he would say if its urgent send me the questionnaire and I will reply on mail. Once when I wanted to do a shoot in a taxi, he agreed and said come at 6.30 p.m. On second thoughts, I realised it would be dark by then, so called him up and he agreed for 5.30. Instead of a taxi shoot we decided to take a boot polishwalla and made him sit under a tree near Bachchan ji’s house. When he asked ‘taxi aa gayi?’ we told him ‘aapko joota polish karvana hai.’ He said ‘arre, ab vo kahaan jaayenge?’ I said he is sitting right outside. He agreed and got his shoe polished. One journalist who was passing by asked me next day, ‘Pradeep you were shooting a duplicate of AB outside his home? I saw you shooting.’ Some passers-by also took him to be duplicate or whatever – I don’t know – but none stopped or asked for his autograph! Amitabh Bachchan – there’s no one like him, honestly. He takes his work so seriously, he’s always on time and never fails to acknowledge messages.
What kind of books do you personally enjoy reading? Any books on photography? Any favourite books? Favourite authors?
Photography books are more to be seen than read. I am a great admirer of Henri Cartier-Bresson and have his books in my collection. Raghu Rai’s Taj Mahal is all-time favourite. I am a great lover of art – F.N. Souza’s Temple Dancer, Krishen Khanna’s Woman with a Basket of Fruit, Bikash Bhattacharjee’s At a Social Gathering, Ram Kumar’s landscapes.
Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay, a Bengali writer, is one of my favourites. Yashpal’s Shinghavlokan I have read dozens of times in the last 20 years. Irving Stone’s Lust for Life also remains one of my favourites. I have a good collection of books on various subjects, and some photography magazines.
For your photography work as a professional, what kind of camera equipment do you use? Do you ever miss using film, for still photography?
I have always been a Nikon man – from the Nikkormat to the Nikon D800 that I presently use. Two lenses which I use frequently are 24mm and 80- 200mm zoom. At times 20mm too. I was one of the first to use digital, which was made by Kodak specially for AP. Yes, I was used to film photography but I’m quite comfortable with digital too. At some point, once in a while, I feel like if only I could use a film camera. But it’s not very practical now – can’t find labs to process and print. Is film better? Both [film and digital] have their own advantages. I won’t say film was better as such.
What is the next book that you intend to write? Anyone you have in mind, on whom you’d like to do a coffee table book?
I have few people in mind. Let’s see. JP Singhal, Pritish Nandy, Gulzar, Javed Akhtar, Mahendra Kapoor and some other people I have met. Also depends on the publisher.
I haven’t shot pictures of Bachchan ji recently but yes when I was working with TOI group, he was always cooperative. I have a good collection of his images and also fellow colleagues were helpful when I wanted the pictures. I managed to find a school friend of his, Inderjit Khanna, who lives in Jaipur and got some school pictures from him, so overall it worked well and the production quality of the book is excellent.
When I gifted a copy to Anand Pandit, the filmmaker who also produced Chehre with Bachchan ji, he liked the book so much, he immediately called his secretary and asked him to order 50 copies. He loved it! When I met Bachchan ji the other day and asked him about the book, he said he also liked it. He is accessible but there has to be a reason to meet him. His office is very prompt in replying. At 80, he is still super busy – the only actor who is so much in demand. Dev Anand too was active till he lived, but in his case, Dev Saab was loved by everyone but no one was interested in the movies that he made in the last 20 years.
Lots of memories of Bachchan ji, his photoshoots and interviews. Even when he was very busy, he would say if its urgent send me the questionnaire and I will reply on mail. Once when I wanted to do a shoot in a taxi, he agreed and said come at 6.30 p.m. On second thoughts, I realised it would be dark by then, so called him up and he agreed for 5.30. Instead of a taxi shoot we decided to take a boot polishwalla and made him sit under a tree near Bachchan ji’s house. When he asked ‘taxi aa gayi?’ we told him ‘aapko joota polish karvana hai.’ He said ‘arre, ab vo kahaan jaayenge?’ I said he is sitting right outside. He agreed and got his shoe polished. One journalist who was passing by asked me next day, ‘Pradeep you were shooting a duplicate of AB outside his home? I saw you shooting.’ Some passers-by also took him to be duplicate or whatever – I don’t know – but none stopped or asked for his autograph! Amitabh Bachchan – there’s no one like him, honestly. He takes his work so seriously, he’s always on time and never fails to acknowledge messages.
What kind of books do you personally enjoy reading? Any books on photography? Any favourite books? Favourite authors?
Photography books are more to be seen than read. I am a great admirer of Henri Cartier-Bresson and have his books in my collection. Raghu Rai’s Taj Mahal is all-time favourite. I am a great lover of art – F.N. Souza’s Temple Dancer, Krishen Khanna’s Woman with a Basket of Fruit, Bikash Bhattacharjee’s At a Social Gathering, Ram Kumar’s landscapes.
Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay, a Bengali writer, is one of my favourites. Yashpal’s Shinghavlokan I have read dozens of times in the last 20 years. Irving Stone’s Lust for Life also remains one of my favourites. I have a good collection of books on various subjects, and some photography magazines.
For your photography work as a professional, what kind of camera equipment do you use? Do you ever miss using film, for still photography?
I have always been a Nikon man – from the Nikkormat to the Nikon D800 that I presently use. Two lenses which I use frequently are 24mm and 80- 200mm zoom. At times 20mm too. I was one of the first to use digital, which was made by Kodak specially for AP. Yes, I was used to film photography but I’m quite comfortable with digital too. At some point, once in a while, I feel like if only I could use a film camera. But it’s not very practical now – can’t find labs to process and print. Is film better? Both [film and digital] have their own advantages. I won’t say film was better as such.
What is the next book that you intend to write? Anyone you have in mind, on whom you’d like to do a coffee table book?
I have few people in mind. Let’s see. JP Singhal, Pritish Nandy, Gulzar, Javed Akhtar, Mahendra Kapoor and some other people I have met. Also depends on the publisher.
‘We talk about the talent of Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, but I
must say that Amitabh Bachchan is no less than them in terms of talent
and potential,’ says Javed Akhtar. ‘It takes a lot in this business to
be a star forever and only one actor has done it with consistency and
dignity, and his name is Amitabh Bachchan. A real star forever,’ says
Subhash GhaiAmitabh Bachchan: The Forever Star is available on
Amazon
No comments:
Post a Comment