Rasha Thadani is yet to debut as an actor, but looks like the star kid has quite a fan following already, thanks to her photography skills. On World Photography Day, Rasha /says it is her mother, actor Raveena Tandon, who inspired her to take up wildlife photography. World Photography Day: Star kid and photography enthusiast Rasha Thadani with her mom, actor Raveena Tandon.

“I must have been eight when she took us for our first tiger safari to Ranthambhore (Rajasthan)... I used to watch her use her camera and get so excited over the shots she had got. I would use her phone camera, which was obviously was easier to operate as compared to a DSLR camera, but it was a start.” says the 18-year-old, who came fourth a the Jaipur Tiger Photography Festival 2022, and was the youngest participant.

She admits she was bitted by the “keeda of photography” when she visited Bandhavgarh National Park (Madhya Pradesh) in 2021, and took her first wildlife shot. “And it has just grown bigger ever since,” says Rasha, describing photography and capturing memories as “infinite happiness, a moment frozen in time, on a reel, that’s so precious.”

EXCLUSIVE: Rasha Thadani credits mom Raveena Tandon for inspiring her to get into wildlife photography

The First-time experience

While Rasha, for the first time held a professional camera in Bandhavgarh, she shares that it’s magical to explore the woods. “Just being in the jungle on the whole is the most beautiful experience anybody could have. The thrill of being on the trail of a predator, following pug marks and alarm calls, and then the sudden sighting of a tiger, emerge from the foliage, in its full glory -- it’s just indescribable. And capturing these moments on camera is even more thrilling,” says Rasha, admitting that at first, she was “pretty confused and clueless” about what she was doing.

She elaborates, “I was still trying the grasp the concepts of ISO and shutter speed. Also, I was a little stressed out because the animal keeps moving, so to capture the correct moment or look of the animal with the correct angle and right lighting, it’s all important. Somehow, my first few pictures came out better than I expected, but slowly I got the hang of it. I’m still learning and improving my photography skills.”

EXCLUSIVE: Rasha Thadani credits mom Raveena Tandon for inspiring her to get into wildlife photography

Childhood love continues...

While Rasha’s tryst with photography started only recently, she says even as a kid, she would always look for interesting things to capture. “I used to have a small digital camera, and I would roam around my farmhouse trying to find interesting things to click. I would also have it with me around the house and suddenly go, ‘Papa smile!’, and try and get that on camera. I would take pictures of my daadi, my brother, my dogs... basically whatever I found around the house, I used to try and make a story of it.,” recounts Rasha, and quips, “I now click pictures of Indian wildlife which is obviously a lot more interesting.”

She also tells us that she looks up to wildlife photographers Varun Aditya, Shaaz Jung, Sarosh Lodhi for their stunning wildlife pictures. “I see their posts every day and I’m in awe of their talent and the beauty of the Indian jungle they capture. All their pictures have a sense of mystery and magic which somehow create a story in my mind,” says Rasha, adding, “Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle book was one of my favourite books as a child. Mom also used to read us stories from Jim Corbett’s books, these photographers somehow re-created those images in my head.

EXCLUSIVE: Rasha Thadani credits mom Raveena Tandon for inspiring her to get into wildlife photography

Tryst with the wildlife

Explaining what fascinates her the most while she is out there capturing animals, the photography enthusiast tells us, “Photography is a lot about luck and timing. Having sightings with interesting behaviour is not something that happens every day. For example, I have never seen a kill happening, even though I’m in the jungle very often. However, some beginners might have seen a kill even if they don’t visit the forest very often. Timing is also important to capture the exact moment that you want. That split second of the tiger looking at you, or the bird opening its wings to fly. There is no retake in wildlife photography.”

While Rasha has clicked several pictures in the woods, and is proud of each one of them, she singles out this one shot and calls it one of her “favourite pictures from my collection”.

Stating that it was very difficult to capture that shot, she shares, “It was early morning, dawn, there was low light and I’d spotted a cub walking in the distance towards us on the side of the main road. The cub then started moving into the forest and looked back at us for a second. His face lit up with a ray of sunlight in between two branches of a tree. It is by far one of the best pictures in my collection.”

Camera girl, always!

From enjoying her time behind the camera to facing it for the first time, Rasha calls it surreal. “As much as I love capturing moments behind the camera, I also love being in front of it. Ever since I was a child I used to ask my mom to film me dancing or singing. In fact, there are a few videos where I’ve either recited a poem or sang a song and then said, ‘Mama show me’. I got the opportunity to work behind the camera at a pretty young age and it was an amazing experience., But, when I had to face the camera for the first time, I can’t describe that feeling,” she says, confessing that she was “nervous, scared, but extremely excited all at the same time”.

She goes on, “Growing up, I had witnessed my mom flawlessly doing her parts in films, and that gave me a confidence boost to do the same. About my project, I don’t really know what to say right now, and I guess the audience will have to wait and watch.”

EXCLUSIVE: Rasha Thadani credits mom Raveena Tandon for inspiring her to get into wildlife photography

A pap favourite, but first, mama’s daughter

As fans await Rasha’s first look from her debut film alongside Aaman Devgan (nephew of actor Ajay Devgn), she seems to be already enjoying spotlight as a favourite among the paparazzi. “People have been really sweet and kind to me and I’m just thankful for that. I am grateful for all the love and positivity I’ve been receiving. It’s slightly overwhelming at such an early age but I honestly love it,” she tells us.

Ahead of her Bollywood debut, Rasha also asserts that she has there is a lot she has learnt from her mum, and she will continue to do so. “My mom’s guidance is invaluable to me, not because she’s an actor, but because she’s my mom. She has handled herself with such grace and maturity, and I want to be like her 100%. She is my role model so of course I look up to her for everything,” says Rasha, and mentions, “I would still go to her for career advice even if she wasn’t a part of the film industry. She always has my back and would always want the best for me.”

What’s next in store?

The fact that Rasha has started shooting for her film, being directed by Abhishek Kapoor and slated to release in February 2024, she must be getting used to how the film industry functions: “As of now, I love the fact that I can put my creative self out there. I’ve always been a performing arts girl. Even through school, I was always the theatre girl, or the music girl. I’ve just begun my journey and I’m excited to see what’s to unfold.”

Speaking of any potential challenges that she thinks can come in the way, she adds, “I think being from a film background predisposes you to a certain kind of expectation and pressure from the audience. I hope to live up to that expectation and I will try my best to make the audience happy.”