Face Off — with Gautam Rajadhyaksha

* Married?

"No," he says, so firmly you daren’t ask why or any other questions about his personal life.

* But what he will talk about is his work. Gautam is back in the media focus with a new collection of pictures.

Yes. He is releasing a new book Faces in which he has photographed Bollywood’s beautiful people — from the Big B to Mamta Kulkarni. He sees the book as a living chronicle of his life. The book hits the stands in July.

* Well, everyone knows that Gautam is a celebrity photographer but how did it all begin?

In Lintas. He worked in the advertising agency for 15 years as head of photo services. And over the weekends, he did some photography. "Soon, my weekend became very important," he says.

*So he was moonlighting?

"No," he says with the same firmness. To soften his harsh consonants he adds that he never took any money for the work, only for expenses.

* So what clicked with photography that made him decide to change his colours?

At the time he decided to become a photographer he was thirty-six years old and felt it was a case of now or never. "Once you approach your 40s inertia can set in. It is easy to get smug in life." * How does it feel to be a celebrity photographer who is a celeb himself?

He may be one of India’s most famous photographers but this man does not party nor does he own a cell-phone or pager. He may take photos of celebs but shies away from the limelight.

* And what about his famous soft-focus technique? Gautam’s name is synonymous with slightly blurred, gently lit photographs.

"Steiner used it. Hollywood photographers use a gauze. So why am I the only one to be punished or singled out?"

* But he must admit that his soft-focus trick makes older women look younger. Look at the pics he has taken of cousin Shobha De or of Anna Bradmeyer — they look 10 years younger than their real age.

Gautam goes on the defensive again. "Soft focus does manage to depress certain lines but it is not deceptive. It gives them a chance to glow," he says.

* Okay, so is he saying he is not the king of soft-focus?

"I was just the first," he says. "All I do is try and make tired, blemished Asian skins look their best."

* So which Asian face is his favourite?

"Suchitra Sen, she has a great bone structure." She also appeals to him as he thinks she is very Garboesque and that adds to her mystique. And in the phirang world he would like to capture the silver screen beauty, Katherine Hepburn.

* Is it only these women that can look beautiful or is there hope for the rest of the female population?

Well the good news is that you do not have to be a Suchitra Sen or Katherine Hepburn to look good in front the camera. "Within limits everyone has angle, a look or certain charm — an attractiveness to bring out," says the photo-man.

*So, when he is not looking at the world from behind the lens, what does he do?

He loves to paint and listen to music. "Everyone needs oxygen. I need oxygen and opera," he says. He also likes some pop and Hindi film music too. This man is no snob.

* What about painting — is he going to shift to painting portraits instead of printing photography?

This is something he has recently picked up. But photography remains his first love. Another hobby is cooking. "Some of my dishes turn out better than my photographs," he says. So he must cook up a mean curry.

* And what is Mr Automatix most likely to say?

"There is photography and portraiture beyond the soft-focus."* And least likely to say?

"You know, soft-focus can actually make you look better."