Anand Piramal-Isha Ambani’s wedding photographer a Mangalurean!

Team Udayavani, Dec 19, 2018, 2:58 PM IST

1.2 lakh photographs capturedin 15 days

Mangaluru: The photographer chosen to cover one of the most talked about weddings in probably decades – that of Isha Ambani and Anand Piramal is a Mangalurean. When 47-year-old Mangalurean photographer Vivek Sequeira was asked to cover a wedding saying ‘Zindagi ban jayegi’ (You’ll be set for life), he had no clue who the client was.

Starting from Dec 1^st, in a span of 15 days, Vivek and his team of photographers claim to have captured over 1.2 lakh photographs, ranging from housewarming, wedding related ceremonies, to an array of entertainment by domestic and international celebrities who graced the fairy-tale gala. This is by far the biggest wedding Vivek has covered and was no less than a dream.

Vivek who is the winner of Better Photography’s ‘Best Wedding Photographer’ in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014, bagged the contract through the acquaintance of a common friend of the Ambanis and the Piramals.

Vivek was not provided any information on who the client was. In June 2018, he was asked to block dates between December 1-15, and send samples of his work. Soon after, he was confirmed for the event but the client’s name was kept confidential.

It was only in October that Vivek realised that he was going to cover the Ambani-Piramal wedding. Though he wondered why he was selected out of the many celebrity photographers, an ecstatic Vivek was nonetheless thrilled to know that he was selected based on talent.

Post the signing of several confidentiality agreements on photos and remuneration awarded which also does not allow him to make public the details, Vivek quickly raised a squad of his trusted aides to cover the event.

Vivek and his partner Shankar Katwe, along with a team of 17 from Luxe Captures started by the duo, left to cover the event. While Vivek, Shankar and four others covered the photography at multiple venues in Mumbai and Udaipur, seven others managed videography and drone with others assisting the team.

Apart from Luxe Captures, there was another Indian photography team and celebrity photographers from the UK, Italy and other countries hired to cover the wedding.

Vivek covered Piramals’ vastu pooja and house warming ceremony on December 2 and 3 in Mumbai, and the pre-wedding ceremonies in City Palace, Udaipur on December 8 and 9. Later, the team covered the wedding on December 12 at the Ambanis’ residence Antilia and receptions on December 13, hosted by the Piramal family, and on December 14 by the Ambani family at Jio Gardens in Mumbai.

As there was Z plus security, there was limited access. Special ID cards were given to Shanker and Vivek identifying them as the official photographers. Thus, they had access to different venues as well as be in close proximity to the couple, family and celebrity guests.

The ace photographer says that within a span of a fortnight, 30 TB of hard disks were filled with photos in no time. The team has been given a one-month deadline to submit the pictures and work on that has begun in full swing now.

Vivek is a college dropout due to financial difficulties and used to work as a petrol pump attendant. Giving ear to a friend’s suggestion, he took up photography by quitting his job, withdrawing the security deposit of the job from the petrol pump to get a camera worth Rs 7,000. It was a risk by in retrospect has panned out very well for him.

Vivek started his studio in 1997 in Mangaluru and became a popular photographer, especially among the members of the Catholic community. Overall, he has covered over 1,300 weddings and travelled to 15 plus countries.