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News18
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
The INR 1 Crore Wedding Album: Inside The Obsession With Couture Photography For The 1%
Last Updated: Inside the world of INR 1-crore wedding albums, where photography becomes couture and legacy In a world where weddings have become multi-day cultural spectacles, the definition of legacy is no longer just jewels or real estate, it's the wedding album. Not the typical velvet-bound photo book, but an INR 1-crore investment in storytelling, cinematography, and artistry. For India's elite, wedding photography has evolved into a couture service – bespoke, emotion-laden, and crafted with the same attention to detail as a Sabyasachi ensemble. 'It's not extravagance – it's art," says Harsheen Jammu, founder of Ombre by Harsheen Jammu, one of the country's most sought-after wedding photographers. 'For my clients, the wedding album isn't just a visual record, it's a generational heirloom, created with as much intention as the wedding itself. We're not just clicking pictures; we're composing a couture visual narrative, one that spans continents and cultures." At this level, every image is carefully lit, framed, and styled like a high fashion editorial. A Mehendi ceremony in Mykonos, the pheras at a fort in Udaipur, the dance of wind across a bride's veil, all shot with cinematic flair, cultural understanding, and a staggering amount of pre-production. Ankita Asthana, founder, WeddingNama, adds a deeper layer to this visual opulence, 'A wedding happens once in a lifetime and the photographs and films are the only investment that truly lasts. Décor fades, outfits are worn once, but the album is what your children will hold decades from now. It has to carry the soul of the moment." This soulful documentation goes beyond equipment and aesthetics. As Asthana explains, 'Today, anyone can shoot a highlight reel for Instagram. But to truly capture the quiver in your voice during the vows, or your father's tears during bidaai, it takes sensitivity, trust, and intent. We listen deeply, we stay invisible when needed, and we honour the emotional weight of what we're filming." 'At WeddingNama, storytelling is slow, collaborative, and intentional. Couples are involved from the beginning creating moodboards, aligning on the emotional tone, and mapping cultural rituals with care. 'The final album isn't a deliverable," says Asthana. 'It's a lived narrative, authored with heart." Back at Ombre, Jammu emphasizes that for many ultra-high-net-worth Indian families, the decision to spend INR 1 crore on photography isn't about indulgence, it's a return on emotional investment. 'From the embroidery on a couture lehenga to the dusky glow of a Sindoor ritual, we create images that are as technically perfect as they are emotionally resonant. That album isn't just a product, it's the only way to keep your favourite story alive." And for the 1%, it's the story that matters most. Because long after the guests leave and the lights go down, it's not the party people remember, it's the feeling. And thanks to India's leading wedding photographers, that feeling is now a work of art. view comments First Published: July 23, 2025, 07:55 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
22-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Bizman loses over 1cr to cyber cons
Lucknow: A businessman from Lucknow was allegedly cheated of over Rs1.01 crore by cyber fraudsters who promised him a dealership with a car company in eastern UP. An FIR was registered on Tuesday. Inspector in-charge of the cyber police station, Brijesh Kumar Yadav said that a case was registered and an investigation is underway. Police are working to identify the accused and track the bank accounts involved in the transactions. The scam involved forged documents, fake email IDs, and impersonation of senior officials from a reputed automobile company. The victim, Ravitosh Asthana, vice president at CS Infra Construction and a resident of Vikalp Khand-5, applied for a dealership in Rasra, Ballia around two months ago. He found contact information through a Google search and submitted his application on a website he believed to be genuine. On May 15, he received an email from someone posing as a CRM officer, seeking official documents. Asthana complied, sending over all requested materials. On June 6, a man identifying himself as Vinod Jain, an officer in the dealer development cell, sent him a contract letter. Over time, Asthana was asked to pay various charges, eventually transferring Rs1.01 crore across multiple transactions. The fraudsters later sent another forged letter, this time carrying the name and signature of the company's global CEO, to further convince him of the deal's legitimacy. The deception unravelled on June 23 when the fraudsters demanded an additional Rs1.62 crore. Asthana revisited the company's official website and discovered he was in contact with imposters.
New Indian Express
11-07-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Coconut oil prices surge 300% in a year amid sharp decline in production
NEW DELHI: Coconut oil prices in India have surged 300% over the past year, prompting the country's top oilseed association to urge the government to allow imports to stabilise the market. Farmers are reporting yield reductions of up to 40% as coconut production has declined over the last two years, while demand has risen sharply. The drop in production has been attributed to severe heat between March and May 2024, along with pest attacks that have affected the health of coconut trees and disrupted supply this year. At the wholesale level, coconut oil prices have crossed Rs. 400 per kilogram, compared to around Rs. 130 per kilogram a year ago. Kerala, a key consumer market, is reportedly showing signs of turning away. The Solvent Extractors' Association of India (SEA), an oilseed extraction traders' body representing the vegetable oil industry and trade in India, said in a statement that the coconut oil sector is currently in turmoil, with prices having tripled in the past 12 months. 'We request the Government to take urgent actions to address this situation by allowing imports of Copra and Coconut Oil Price for Interim Period,' said Sanjeev Asthana, President of SEA, in a letter to the Government of India. The SEA further stated that import concessions should be allowed for an interim period of 6–12 months, with the sole objective of managing the current demand crisis and retaining consumer interest in coconut oil. According to the letter, interim measures would not impact domestic coconut growers. 'This measure is not likely to impact farmers in any way adversely; rather, this will stabilise prices and will be helpful for farmers in the long term,' states the letter. The SEA noted that soaring prices may drive households towards alternative oils such as palm and sunflower. It also warned that adulteration is becoming increasingly prevalent due to rising prices, and trust in coconut oil is beginning to erode. 'The current situation is impacting all the stakeholders in this sector adversely,' said Asthana.
Economic Times
31-05-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
Import duty cut on crude edible oils will protect local processors: Industry bodies
Edible oil industry bodies SEA and IVPA have hailed the government's decision to cut basic custom duty on crude oils to 10 per cent, saying the move will discourage imports of finished products and safeguard the interests of domestic refiners. ADVERTISEMENT On Friday, the government reduced the basic custom duty on crude palm oil, crude soyabean oil and crude sunflower oil to 10 per cent from earlier 20 per cent. The effective import duty (including basic custom duty and other charges) on these three products will now be 16.5 per cent, as against 27.5 per cent earlier. With a sharp rise in imports of refined palmolien in the past six months, both industry bodies have been urging the government to increase the duty difference between crude edible oils and refined edible oils. Welcoming the decision, Solvent Extractors Association of India (SEA) President Sanjeev Asthana said, "the government's decision to increase the duty differential from 8.25 per cent to 19.25 per cent is a bold and timely move. It will discourage imports of refined palmolien and shift demand back to crude palm oil, thereby revitalizing the domestic refining sector." This move will not impact the overall volume of edible oil imports and is unlikely to cause any upward pressure on edible oil prices, he said. ADVERTISEMENT "On the contrary, the reduction in duty on crude oil will help reduce domestic prices, benefiting consumers," Asthana said. India imports more than 50 per cent of its domestic edible oil requirement. ADVERTISEMENT India imported 159.6 lakh tonnes of edible oils during the 2023-24 oil marketing year (November to October) valuing Rs 1.32 lakh crore. The basic custom duty on refined oils remains unchanged at 32.5 per cent. ADVERTISEMENT At present, the effective duty on refined oils is 35.75 per cent. The Indian Vegetable Oil Producers' Association (IVPA) President Sudhakar Desai said, "We thank the government for accepting the IVPA recommendation to increase the duty differential between crude and refined edible oil to 19.25 per cent." ADVERTISEMENT It is a significantly bold move towards ensuring Make in India and also protecting the sector from influx of refined oils causing capacity injury to the vegetable oil sector, Desai said. "This is a win-win situation for vegetable oil refiners and consumers, as local prices will go down due to lower duty on crude oils," SEA Executive Director B V Mehta said. India imports palm oil from Malaysia and Indonesia. Soyabean oil comes from Brazil and Argentina. SEA pointed out that the previous import duty difference of 8.25 per cent between CPO (crude palm oil) and refined palmolien had inadvertently incentivized imports of the finished product over the crude form. As a result, during the oil year 2023- 24 (November-October), refined palmolien accounted for over 20 per cent of total palm oil imports, and in the first half of oil year 2024-25 (November 2024-April 2025), its share rose to nearly 27 per cent. On May 29, the C&F price of RBD palmolien was USD 45 per tonne lower than CPO, further encouraging refined imports at the cost of domestic value addition, the SEA added.
Mint
31-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
Import duty cut on crude edible oils will protect local processors: Industry bodies
New Delhi, May 31 (PTI) Edible oil industry bodies SEA and IVPA have hailed the government's decision to cut basic custom duty on crude oils to 10 per cent, saying the move will discourage imports of finished products and safeguard the interests of domestic refiners. On Friday, the government reduced the basic custom duty on crude palm oil, crude soyabean oil and crude sunflower oil to 10 per cent from earlier 20 per cent. The effective import duty (including basic custom duty and other charges) on these three products will now be 16.5 per cent, as against 27.5 per cent earlier. With a sharp rise in imports of refined palmolien in the past six months, both industry bodies have been urging the government to increase the duty difference between crude edible oils and refined edible oils. Welcoming the decision, Solvent Extractors Association of India (SEA) President Sanjeev Asthana said, "the government's decision to increase the duty differential from 8.25 per cent to 19.25 per cent is a bold and timely move. It will discourage imports of refined palmolien and shift demand back to crude palm oil, thereby revitalizing the domestic refining sector." This move will not impact the overall volume of edible oil imports and is unlikely to cause any upward pressure on edible oil prices, he said. "On the contrary, the reduction in duty on crude oil will help reduce domestic prices, benefiting consumers," Asthana said. India imports more than 50 per cent of its domestic edible oil requirement. India imported 159.6 lakh tonnes of edible oils during the 2023-24 oil marketing year (November to October) valuing ₹ 1.32 lakh crore. The basic custom duty on refined oils remains unchanged at 32.5 per cent. At present, the effective duty on refined oils is 35.75 per cent. The Indian Vegetable Oil Producers' Association (IVPA) President Sudhakar Desai said, "We thank the government for accepting the IVPA recommendation to increase the duty differential between crude and refined edible oil to 19.25 per cent." It is a significantly bold move towards ensuring Make in India and also protecting the sector from influx of refined oils causing capacity injury to the vegetable oil sector, Desai said. "This is a win-win situation for vegetable oil refiners and consumers, as local prices will go down due to lower duty on crude oils," SEA Executive Director B V Mehta said. India imports palm oil from Malaysia and Indonesia. Soyabean oil comes from Brazil and Argentina. SEA pointed out that the previous import duty difference of 8.25 per cent between CPO (crude palm oil) and refined palmolien had inadvertently incentivized imports of the finished product over the crude form. As a result, during the oil year 2023-24 (November-October), refined palmolien accounted for over 20 per cent of total palm oil imports, and in the first half of oil year 2024-25 (November 2024-April 2025), its share rose to nearly 27 per cent. On May 29, the C&F price of RBD palmolien was USD 45 per tonne lower than CPO, further encouraging refined imports at the cost of domestic value addition, the SEA added.
