The three-photographer project depicts old and modern India with a soulful allure and cast of stars including Ranveer Singh, Rupi Kaur, and Bhavitha Mandava, as well as ordinary Indian people.

MILAN – India’s Holi festival, the narrow alleys of Old Delhi and Rajasthan’s forts serve as the cinematic and soulful backdrop to the 2027 edition of the Pirelli Calendar.

Fully unveiled on Friday in New Delhi, the 12-month spread was photographed by Sølve Sundsbø, who had shot last year’s edition, as well as by India natives Raghu Rai and Avani Rai. The former died last April and his legacy and the calendar project were carried forward by his daughter Avani.

Since 1964, the tire company has recruited celebrities and models to pose for its calendar, known also as “The Cal,” which is now in its 53rd edition.

Conceived as a dialogue between the three master photographers, each bringing their own perspective on India, the calendar is fronted by nine women tied to the country – and then some.

“India is never just one thing. It is a country where different times, traditions and realities coexist, where the ancient and the contemporary enter the same image,” said Sundsbø. “I didn’t feel I could try to represent India in all its complexity. I didn’t have the right to do so. I left Raghu and Avani Rai the task of capturing the country’s deepest essence. I chose instead to focus on portraits of extraordinary Indian women, playing with the textures of the garments, with colors and contrasts,” he said.

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