'Be the photographer and not the fan': Photographer Rohan Shrestha on shooting Lionel Messi

Ace photographer Rohan Shrestha recently had the opportunity to work with football legend Lionel Messi.

Known for working with top celebrities like actors Shah Rukh Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and others, Rohan dropped a post on his Instagram handle on Thursday in which he expressed his joy at meeting the Argentine talisman.

He also confessed in the note that he was a 'massive fan' of the footballing superstar and his hands were trembling at the beginnng of the shoot. He posted a number of images from the photoshoot, including a selfie with the Golden Ball winner at FIFA World Cup 2022, along with an emotional message.

He wrote, "It all began as a simple WhatsApp message that I got from my wonderful friend, @manasvi18 'Hey are you a Messi fan?' he asked. 'Man, I worship the ground he walks on.' 'okay so would you be interested in shooting him?' He asks as I promptly reply with 'I will give you my left nut.' So we're going to Paris! It happened just like that. The most incredible part of my year."

Rohan Shrestha further wrote, "When people play the hypothetical game of 'Who's the one person you'd do anything to photograph?', for me, it was always this one guy. Being a Barca fan since 1999, Messi isn't just a footballer or the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) or the world champion. He's our boy from La Masia (in Spain), the one who's given me an infinite amount of happy memories since his debut in 2004/05. Prior to photographing my hero I was nervous, what do I wear? Should I tell him I'm obsesssed with him? I'm a barca fan? No? Okay, let's do what you normally do- let's try to _act_ professional. 'Don't deviate Rohan,' I told myself, 'be the photographer and not the fan'. The shoot was for Byjus where @singhvinsingh @adityank and of course @divyagokulnath - in the middle of them being so understanding of what we could all collectively achieve doing this shoot, I was allowed to shoot my '#whiteTseries' with Leo."

Rohan added, "At the start of this shoot my hands were actually shaking and I was like, 'okay this is what it's like to be very very nervous. I was a ball of anxiety prior and had to call up my friends to calm me down. The shoot was so smooth and eventually Lionel Messi was told by his team that I was a MASSIVE fan and at the end of the shoot he came over and hugged me. Post shoot ngl many tears were shed. Thank you to @homyarpatel my assistant who held me together when I was feeling nervous."

Rohan signed off with, "My pals questioned why I wasn't posting these photos, which were taken a month and a half ago. 'I'll watch him win the World Cup', you say. Recently, I had the good fortune to be present at the stadium to see Leo hoist the trophy. Sometimes we just have to be grateful for what life brings us since it was written in the stars."

Rohan's industry friends flocked to the comment section shortly after he dropped the post on Instagram. Alia Bhatt and Ananya Panday dropped heart emoticons while Rashmika Mandanna wrote, "Rorooooo. so so soooooo happy for you...." Malaika Arora wrote, "Awesome !!!!!!" Ranveer Singh commented, "Living the dream!" Parineeti Chopra wrote, "Love this story! Lots of loveee Ro Ro."

Aside from working with Messi, Rohan also teamed up with American actor and comedian Kevin Hart.

( With inputs from ANI )