Salman, Katrina party at Mallaya’s Yatch

"BIG SHOTS"

UB Group Chairman Dr. Vijay Mallaya does everything in style. This time it was the launch of his calendar- Kingfisher 2005. The launch of the calendar was on his yacht, Indian Princess with a foreign crew.

Though the yacht was embarked…yet the party at a yacht feeling was very much there. Vijay Mallaya has always had friends in the film industry and therefore Salman Khan launched the calendar.

“I know Vijay, and when it was his calendar I was more than willing to come. And also partying at his yacht was another bait. As far as the calendar goes, every year I look forward to it,” says Salman.

Accompanying Salman was, of course, girlfriend Katrina Kaif. Another very close friend of Salman, Shilpa Shetty also came to enjoy. “I have my buddies here, so I’ll be definitely enjoying the party. And on an afternoon like this I think the spirits are very high for the calendar", says Shilpa.

Other actors present were Fardeen Khan with sister Laila Khan-Rajpal. “We are both enjoying ourselves. It’s a good way of catching up with other people and also spend some time with my sister. So, it’s a dual enjoyment. Speaking about the calendar “I just love it. It has all the hot women in biknis. What more can I ask for,” says Fardeen.

Sohail Khan and Chunkey Pandey were lounging on the deck of the Indian Princess, whereas, Aftaab Shivdasani was busy chatting. “I love this, it’s a perfect way of spending an idle afternoon. Good company, launch of a calendar and lots of food and drinks,” says Aftaab. The others present were Amrita Arora, Suchitra Pillai, designer Rocky S.

Talking about the calendar now, it was shot in South Africa in 10 days. The theme this time is get one with the wild. It has five models including Pia Trivedi and Yana Gupta who were there in Kingfisher 2004 as well.

We asked Dr. Mallaya, if he has made calendar his business? “Kingfisher calendar is a pure brand exercise. As a brand Kingfisher is about a good lifestyle and therefore a calendar just projects that. This is of course to enhance our business but not a business in its own right,” explains Mallaya. Photographer Atul Kasbekar, has shot all the calendars till now, 2005 being the third one.

“Its my pet project of the year. Every year we think of a different theme, this time we shot in African jungles with all the lovely ladies in swimsuits. Kingfisher calendar is a platform for the fashion industry in India,” says Kasbekar.

The two-time model for the calendar Pia Trivedi thinks that it is the most elite assignment to do. “Once you are a Kingfisher model, then people take you in a different light. They see you differently. I have been very lucky to do it twice. A lot of work happened after the 2004 calendar, I am hoping the same would happen now.” Like all this does, this one was as lavish and extravagant. With all sorts of liquor flowing and food coming from a top restaurant in Mumbai, the people enjoyed themselves thoroughly and throughout the day.