Bhavitha Mandava, Aditi Rao Hydari, Padma Lakshmi lead Pirelli's 'India' Calendar

In a first, the iconic calendar in fashion – Pirelli Calendar – is being shot entirely in India, with the 2027 edition dedicated to the country. Aditi Rao Hydari, Bhavitha Mandava, Padma Lakshmi are a few names in the cast, which too is entirely Indian.A BTS photo of Padma Lakshmi posing for Pireli Calendar. From the backstage of the Pirelli Calendar 2027 by Sølve Sundsbø and Raghu Rai with Avani Rai, picture by Alessandro Scotti.There are calendars, and then there is The Cal – considered the most iconic calendar in the realm of fashion and pop culture.Only around 20,000 copies are produced each year and gifted – not sold – to an exclusive circle of collectors, creatives and influential figures. Since its debut in 1964 as a marketing initiative by Italian tyre manufacturer Pirelli, it is one of fashion photography's most influential publications and has nearly featured every iconic supermodel of the past six decades. Controversies have surrounded it too, but more on that later.For the first time in its history, the Pirelli Calendar is being shot entirely in India, with the 2027 edition dedicated to the country. Freida Pinto's behind-the-scenes still from the Pirelli Calendar shoot On the pages will be names including model Bhavitha Mandava, actors Aditi Rao Hydari and Freida Pinto, sitar virtuoso Anoushka Shankar, model Lakshmi Menon, and author, television host and producer Padma Lakshmi, among others. Aditi Rao Hydari poses on a bed of flowers for the shoot. Who is behind the lens? Celebrated Norwegian fashion photographer Solve Sundsbo, and Avani Rai – photographer and daughter of legendary Indian photojournalist Raghu Rai, who passed away earlier this year. Avani Rai, late photographer Raghu Rai's daughter, stepped in to carry forward her father's vision. The 2027 calendar was originally envisioned as a creative dialogue between Sundsbo and Raghu Rai. But tragedy intervened. After spending months shaping his vision for the project, Rai died in April. Rather than letting his work remain unfinished, Avani Rai stepped in to carry forward her father's vision. While Avani Rai has captured the essence of India on the streets of Delhi, Sundsbo kept his focus on the subjects against the regal-rustic backdrop of Rajashthan’s Jaigarh Fort and Ajabgarh. Rupi Kaur poses against the rustic backdrop Landing a place in its pages has long been considered a career milestone. Photographing it is an even rarer honour.Legendary photographers like Richard Avedon, Annie Leibovitz and Karl Lagerfeld have treated its pages as creative playground. Names like Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Heidi Klum, Bella Hadid, Ashley Graham, Cher, Jennifer Lopez, Penelope Cruz and Serena Williams have featured in it.But like we mentioned before, the Pirelli Calendar has not been without controversy. For decades, it faced criticism for its lack of diversity, the sexual objectification of women, and its reliance on a narrow ideal of beauty centred around thin, white models. Over time, however, the publication began responding to both criticism and broader cultural shifts. In a first, this time the Pirelli Calendar is entirely dedicated to India. In the last decade, it has released editions that celebrated women for their achievements and individuality rather than their appearance. The 2016 calendar, photographed by Annie Leibovitz, featured influential figures such as Serena Williams and Yoko Ono, while the 2018 edition, inspired by Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, featured an all-Black cast.Bhavitha Mandava, whose journey from being spotted at a subway station to becoming a Chanel house ambassador has been nothing short of remarkable, admitted she was initially hesitant about participating, given the Pirelli Calendar's history and how its legacy would translate in India's more conservative cultural context."I'll be honest, I wasn't very enthusiastic about the past eroticism of the Pirelli Calendar and those associations," she told The Guardian. "But I'm so glad—they actively made an effort to make me feel like I belonged." Bhavitha Mandava was initially hesitant about the calendar shoot. The Pirelli Calendar's decision to centre its 2027 edition on India says as much about the country as it does about the changing priorities of global fashion. Today, it is increasingly being recognised as a creative powerhouse in its own right. Luxury brands are no longer simply sourcing from India - they are investing in it.Dedicated boutiques, destination runway shows and high-profile collaborations have become increasingly common. Prada's 2025 Kolhapuri sandal controversy further set the record straight: you can’t stealthily borrow without acknowledging the origins of Indian craft. Laskhmi Menon for the shoot So, The Cal’s upcoming 2027 edition feels particularly significant. Rather than borrowing from India's aesthetic, it places the country - and the people shaping its cultural landscape - at the very centre of the story. For a publication that has long influenced the global conversation around beauty and fashion, that shift is both symbolic and long overdue.- EndsPublished By: Jigyasa SahayPublished On: Jul 30, 2026 12:13 IST