Dabboo Ratnani, a photographer, has weighed in on the controversy surrounding his supposedly topless shot of Kiara Advani for his 2021 calendar.

With her portrait for photographer Dabboo Ratnani’s 2021 calendar, which looked to depict her standing topless on a beach, actress Kiara Advani ruffled some feathers.

Kiara had gotten similar notice the year before when she appeared to be topless in front of a big leaf for Dabboo’s 2020 calendar.

However, the photographer said in a new interview that he shot Kiara intentionally and avoided crossing the line into profanity. Kiara isn’t topless in the latest shot, according to Dabboo Ratnani.

He told an Indian newspaper, “Yes, I have read what’s being said online. But Kiara has not gone topless in my black-and-white picture that has emerged of late.” He added, “I tend to shoot in a particular way that leaves a lot to the imagination. I think too-much-sexy in your face gets vulgar. It is better to leave a certain intrigue.”

When photographer Marie Barsch pointed out the similarities between their images on Instagram, Dabboo was accused of copying for his shot of Kiara last year.

Dabboo had responded by saying that the shot was inspired by the one he created in 1992.