Photographer G Venket Ram has designed a unique calendar for the year 2020 for the NAAM Charitable Trust, recreating the paintings of Raja Ravi Varma with south Indian women actors and dancers to celebrate "the spirit of Indian womanhood". NAAM, founded by actor-director Suhasini Maniratnam, is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.
The limited edition calendars and booklets featuring the 11 women were launched at The Folly, Amethyst, in Chennai on February 3.
Proceeds from the sale of the items will be used to raise funds for empowering single women from under-served segments of society, a press release said.
The 11 women featured in the pictures are actors Khushbu, Shruti Haasan, Ramya Krishnan, Shobhana, Aishwarya Rajesh, Samantha Akkineni, Nadhiya, Lissy, Lakshmi Manchu and dancers Priyadarshini Govind and Chamundeshwari.
Credits for the images:
Photography: G Venket Ram
Post-production: Disha Shah
Styling: Amritha Ram
Make-up & Hair: Prakruthi Ananth
Calendar Design: Padmaja Venket Ram
Shruti Haasan 1 - Radha in moonlight
Nadiya - This painting reflects the private lives of women from different social backgrounds
Samantha - An expectant mother holding a fruit symbolic of a new life
Ramya Krishnan - Damayanti listens in rapt attention to the tales of Nala from the swan
Khushbu - Portrait of a Maharashtrian lady after a temple visit
Shobana - ‘There comes papa’ portrait of Ravi Varma 's daughter Mahaprabha
Aishwarya Rajesh - Portrait of a high minded woman, the Rani of Pudukottai
Lissy Lakshmi - Portrait of a royal woman from Kerala inspired by Ravi Varma 's style
Shruti Haasan 2 - Portrait of Rani of Kurupam
Lakshmi Manchu - Portrait of Rani Chimnabai 1 after whom Lakshmi Vilas palace in Tanjore is named.
Chamundeswari - Portrait of Maharani Lakshmi Bayi who became the senior rani of Travancore
Priyadarshini Govind - Kadambari, Portrait of a modern, intellectual Bengali lady
All images and captions reproduced with permission. Do not use the photographs without seeking permission of the creators.