Kingfisher Calendar

Deepika Padukone, herself a Kingfisher Calendar Girl of 2006, at the launch of the calendar in 2011.

The Kingfisher Calendar was an annual calendar featuring models in swimsuits published by the Indian conglomerate United Breweries Group for 19 years from 2003 to 2021.[1] Described by Rediff as "arguably the most prestigious modelling assignment in India", it was credited with advancing the careers of models and actresses like Katrina Kaif, Deepika Padukone, Yana Gupta, Sonali Raut, Ujjwala Raut, Nargis Fakhri, Bruna Abdullah, Deepti Gujral, Lisa Haydon, Aishwarya Sushmita and Angela Jonsson.[2] Photographer Atul Kasbekar has been associated with the calendar since its inception in 2003 till its final issue in 2021. Kasbekar along with Vijay Mallya are credited with the idea of creating the annual Kingfisher Calendar.[3][4][5][6][7]

Photographers, locations, models and production

Year Photographer Location Models
2003 Atul Kasbekar Mauritius Shivani Kapur, Ujjwala Raut, Vidisha Pavate, Yana Gupta and Katrina Kaif
2004 Atul Kasbekar Thailand Yana Gupta, Nifa Hindes, Pia Trivedi, Vidisha Pavate and Rohini Tiwari
2005 Atul Kasbekar South Africa Yana Gupta, Cindy Burbridge, Asha Leo, Pia Trivedi and Sheetal Menon
2006 Atul Kasbekar Australia Deepika Padukone, Shruti Agrawal, Karishma Kotak, Neelam Chauhan, Shilpa Reddy and Mashoom Singha
2007 Atul Kasbekar French Riviera, France Bruna Abdullah, Mia Uyeda, Nikii Daas, Deepti Gujral, Shamita Singha and Selma Lasrado[8]
2008 Atul Kasbekar Goa, Andaman, Ladakh and Udaipur, India Deepti Gujral, Preeti Desai, Sheetal Menon, Monikagana Dutta, Shruti Agrawal, Melissa Mehra and Tamara Moss
2009 Atul Kasbekar Islands on the Andaman Sea Monikana Dutta, Nargis Fakhri, Mimi Blix, Tamara Moss, Katya Melnikova and Sunisa Jongsawat
2010 Atul Kasbekar Maldives[9] Esha Gupta, Gia Johnson-Singh, Ashika Pratt, Himarsha Venkatsamy, Anjali Lavania and Sonali Raut
2011 Atul Kasbekar Mauritius Fiona Thomas, Angela Jonsson, Lisa Haydon, Anjali Lavania, Cherlotte Lohmann and Lisa Golden[10]
2012 Atul Kasbekar Negombo, Sri Lanka Tina Desai, Angela Jonsson, Maia Haydon, Mimi Blix, Saiyami Kher, and Nathalia Kaur[11]
2013 Atul Kasbekar South Africa Kanishtha Dhankar, Elena Fernandes, Nevena Pejatovic, Priya Emmanuel and Kyra Dutt[12]
2014 Atul Kasbekar Boracay, Philippines Nicole Faria, Rochelle Rao, Rikee Chatterjee, Ketheleno Kenze, Sobhita Dhulipala and Sahar Biniaz[13]
2015 Atul Kasbekar Turkey Sarah Jane Dias, Keisha Lall, Dayana Erappa, Elena Fernandes and Aastha Pokharel[14]
2016 Atul Kasbekar Seychelles Aisha Sharma, Aishwarya Sushmita, Maya Hendricks, Noyonita Lodh and Sushrii Shreya Mishraa[15]
2017 Atul Kasbekar Mykonos, Greece Vartika Singh, Meenakshi Rathore, Dayana Erappa, Kanishtha Dhankar, Alliny Gomes, Helena Gomes and Nora Fatehi[16]
2018 Atul Kasbekar Croatia Priyanka Moodley, Ishika Sharma, Priyanka Karunakaran and Mitali Rannorey[17]
2019 Atul Kasbekar Sardinia, Italy Sushrii Shreya Mishraa, Shubra Aiyappa, Madusha Mayadunne and Diva Dhawan[18]
2020 Atul Kasbekar Western Cape, South Africa Aditi Arya, Zoya Afroz, Pooja Chopra and Aishwarya Sushmita[citation needed]
2021 Atul Kasbekar Kerala, India Gehna Mahiarya, Krithika Babu, Adline Castelino, Sumita Bhandari and Anukreethy Vas[19]

Kingfisher Calendar Model Hunt

Nathalia Kaur, winner of the Kingfisher Calendar Model Hunt 2012

The Kingfisher Calendar Model Hunt, now known as Kingfisher Supermodels [20] is an annual competition to select a model for the annual calendar. Started in 2010, the competition has been televised by NDTV Good Times.[21] The format includes competing 10 women in a reality show across 13 episodes.[22]

Winners

[23]

There is a 2015 Hindi film called Calendar Girls based on the Kingfisher Calendar phenomenon.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Kingfisher Swimsuit Calendar is now a thing of past". Times of India. 19 January 2022. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
  2. ^ "Kingfisher Calendar 2012: Bikini beauties battle it out!". Rediff.com. 18 October 2011. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  3. ^ Jakhar, Deepti (10 January 2012). "Sizzling beauties of Kingfisher Calendar 2012". India Today. Retrieved 13 January 2012.
  4. ^ Sinha, Sanskrity (12 January 2012). "Kingfisher Calendar 2012 Unveiled: Models' Exclusive Bikini Shots (PHOTOS)". International Business Times. Retrieved 13 January 2012.
  5. ^ "Kingfisher Bikini babes audition for Kingfisher Calendar 2011". Rediff.com. 12 September 2010. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  6. ^ Jakhar, Deepti (10 December 2011). "Kingfisher Swimsuit Calendar 2012 to be unveiled soon". India Today. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  7. ^ "Making of Kingfisher Calendar Girl 2010". MSN.com. 28 October 2009. Archived from the original on 1 May 2012. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  8. ^ "Kingfisher Swimsuit Calendar 2007". Oneindia.in. 29 December 2006. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  9. ^ "Making 'Kingfisher Calendar 2010'". The Times of India. 26 November 2009. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  10. ^ "Reloaded: Kingfisher Calendar 2011". MSN.com. 12 December 2011. Archived from the original on 22 December 2011. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  11. ^ Sinha, Sanskrity (12 January 2012). "Kingfisher Calendar 2012 Unveiled: Models' Exclusive Bikini Shots (PHOTOS)". International Business Times. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  12. ^ "Kingfisher Calendar 2013". www.kingfishercalendar.com. Archived from the original on 6 January 2013. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  13. ^ "#KFCalendar2014". kingfishercalendar.com. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  14. ^ "#KFCalendar2015". kingfishercalendar.com. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  15. ^ "#KFCalendar2016". kingfishercalendar.com. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  16. ^ "#KFCalendar2017". india.com. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
  17. ^ "#KFCalendar2018". kingfishercalendar.com. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  18. ^ "#KFCalendar2019". kingfishercalendar.com. Retrieved 20 April 2019.
  19. ^ "Behold! The Kingfisher Calendar 2021". rediff.com. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
  20. ^ "Kingfisher Supermodels 3". goodtimes.ndtv.com. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  21. ^ a b Ahmed, Nafeesah (8 January 2012). "Going for the kill". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 13 January 2012.
  22. ^ Kingfisher Calendar Girl 2012: Nathy , NDTV Good Times. Retrieved 13 January 2012.
  23. ^ Shalini Shah, Sees, shoots and leaves, The Hindu, 23 December 2011, Retrieved 12 January 2012.
  24. ^ "llt". NDTV Good Times. Archived from the original on 24 October 2014. Retrieved 13 January 2012.
  25. ^ "Angela Jonsson prefers good story over big names". Hindustan Times. 7 December 2011. Archived from the original on 14 January 2012. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
  26. ^ Kingfisher Calendar Girl, India Today, Retrieved 13 January 2012.