# Kingfisher Calendar

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. 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. 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.

## 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 |
| 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 | 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 |
| 2012 | Atul Kasbekar | Negombo, Sri Lanka | Tina Desai, Angela Jonsson, Maia Haydon, Mimi Blix, Saiyami Kher, and Nathalia Kaur |
| 2013 | Atul Kasbekar | South Africa | Kanishtha Dhankar, Elena Fernandes, Nevena Pejatovic, Priya Emmanuel and Kyra Dutt |
| 2014 | Atul Kasbekar | Boracay, Philippines | Nicole Faria, Rochelle Rao, Rikee Chatterjee, Ketheleno Kenze, Sobhita Dhulipala and Sahar Biniaz |
| 2015 | Atul Kasbekar | Turkey | Sarah Jane Dias, Keisha Lall, Dayana Erappa, Elena Fernandes and Aastha Pokharel |
| 2016 | Atul Kasbekar | Seychelles | Aisha Sharma, Aishwarya Sushmita, Maya Hendricks, Noyonita Lodh and Sushrii Shreya Mishraa |
| 2017 | Atul Kasbekar | Mykonos, Greece | Vartika Singh, Meenakshi Rathore, Dayana Erappa, Kanishtha Dhankar, Alliny Gomes, Helena Gomes and Nora Fatehi |
| 2018 | Atul Kasbekar | Croatia | Priyanka Moodley, Ishika Sharma, Priyanka Karunakaran and Mitali Rannorey |
| 2019 | Atul Kasbekar | Sardinia, Italy | Sushrii Shreya Mishraa, Shubra Aiyappa, Madusha Mayadunne and Diva Dhawan |
| 2020 | Atul Kasbekar | Western Cape, South Africa | Aditi Arya, Zoya Afroz, Pooja Chopra and Aishwarya Sushmita |
| 2021 | Atul Kasbekar | Kerala, India | Gehna Mahiarya, Krithika Babu, Adline Castelino, Sumita Bhandari and Anukreethy Vas |

## Kingfisher Calendar Model Hunt

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

### Winners

* 2010 – Himarsha Venkatsamy
* 2011 – Angela Jonsson
* 2012 – Nathalia Kaur
* 2013 – Nevena Pejatovic
* 2014 – Ketholeno Kense
* 2015 – Aastha Pokharel
* 2016 – Aishwarya Sushmita

## In popular culture

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