Manifest Spotlight: Wedding Photographers and Filmmakers Shrey Bhagat & Manveen Ahuja Bhagat, of Raabta Studios

Ask your family and friends if they've ever planned a wedding, and they’ll tell you that behind all the outfits, décor, and carefully choreographed dance performances, there are a thousand little moments that often go unnoticed. Those are exactly the moments Raabta Studios loves to capture.

Founded by husband-wife duo Shrey Bhagat and Manveen Ahuja Bhagat in 2022, Raabta grew out of a simple idea that weddings should essentially feel like real stories, rather than perfectly staged productions. After spending more than a decade photographing weddings around the world, Shrey wanted to create a studio that focused on genuine emotions, meaningful connections, and the kind of memories couples would want to revisit years later. Manveen brought the strategy, structure, and vision needed to turn that idea into a thriving brand.

Four years on, Raabta Studios has grown to become one of the most recognised names in the luxury wedding photography space. From destination celebrations across the globe to weddings of well-known families and personalities, the team has built a reputation for capturing moments that feel raw and personal and a storytelling that feels heartfelt, and modern.

The founders join us for an in-depth conversation about the brand's journey and more…

In Conversation With Shrey Bhagat, Founder of Raabta Studios & Manveen Ahuja Bhagat, Co-founder of Raabta Studios

Manifest (M): Raabta Studios is relatively young, yet it has quickly become a recognised name in the luxury wedding space. What do you think contributed most to that growth?

Shrey Bhagat (SB): Raabta Studios may be young as a brand, but the foundation it was built on comes from years of experience, relationships, and a deep understanding of the wedding industry.

We believe our growth has been driven by three key factors. First, an unwavering commitment to storytelling over trends. We have always focused on creating imagery and films that feel timeless, emotional, and deeply personal. Second, consistency in quality. We consciously limit the number of weddings we take on, allowing our team to give every celebration the attention it deserves. And finally, the trust and referrals that come from happy clients and industry partners. Many of our opportunities have come through word of mouth, which is the strongest validation of the work we do.

While awards, features, and recognition have certainly helped amplify our visibility, the real driver of our growth has been the relationships we have built and our commitment to creating work that resonates long after the wedding day is over

M: Shrey, after spending over a decade in the industry, what made you feel it was the right time to start your own studio?

SB: For me, starting Raabta Studios was never about starting another company. It was about creating the kind of creative environment and client experience I had always envisioned. After spending over 10 years in the wedding industry and documenting more than 400 weddings across different cultures and geographies, I felt I had reached a stage where I wanted to build something that reflected my own philosophy towards storytelling.

Over the years, I realised that the most meaningful work happens when creativity is given the time, space, and attention it deserves. With Raabta Studios, I wanted to move away from a volume driven approach and instead focus on a more curated experience where every wedding is treated as a unique story rather than a project to be completed.

The timing felt right because I had the experience, the relationships, and a clear understanding of what I wanted to build. More importantly, I had a strong partner in Manveen, who shared the same vision for quality, authenticity, and client experience. Together, we saw an opportunity to create a brand that combines artistic excellence with a deeply personal approach, and that became the foundation of Raabta Studios.

M: What was the original vision behind Raabta Studios, and how has it evolved since 2022?

SB: The vision behind Raabta Studios was to create something more personal and instinct led. Our approach has always been rooted in cinematic storytelling, honesty, emotion, and understated luxury. From the beginning, we wanted to build a studio that prioritised meaningful narratives over trends and focused on creating work that would stand the test of time.

Since 2022, that vision has evolved in scale rather than philosophy. As we've grown, worked across destinations around the world, and built a larger team, our focus has remained the same. What has changed is our ability to take on more ambitious projects and collaborate with clients who deeply value creativity and storytelling. Our work continues to be driven by collaboration, creative trust, and giving the process the time it deserves, resulting in imagery that feels intentional, personal, and lasting.

M: As co-founders, how do you divide responsibilities while ensuring you’re moving towards the same goal?

SB: One of the strongest aspects of our partnership is that while our roles are distinct, our vision is completely aligned. I lead the creative direction of Raabta Studios, shaping the visual language, storytelling approach, and overall aesthetic philosophy of the studio and Manveen focuses on brand building and marketing strategy, along with shaping how Raabta is positioned, communicated, and experienced externally. This includes everything from brand narrative and positioning to collaborations and overall audience perception.

While the responsibilities are clearly defined, the way we work is highly collaborative. Every key decision is discussed together, and there is a constant exchange of ideas between the creative and brand side. That dialogue is what keeps the work cohesive, ensuring that what we create creatively and how we present ourselves externally are always in sync.

M: Manveen, coming from an advertising and brand strategy background, what lessons from that world have been most valuable in building Raabta?

Manveen Ahuja Bhagat (MAB): Coming from advertising and brand strategy has been invaluable in shaping how I approach Raabta Studios. One of the biggest learnings has been the importance of clarity in positioning. In advertising, if a brand does not stand for something specific, it becomes forgettable. That thinking has strongly influenced how we’ve built Raabta. With a clear point of view on storytelling, aesthetics, and the kind of work we want to be known for.

What advertising really trains you to do is think in terms of brand systems rather than individual expressions. It’s about building a visual, verbal, and emotional language that stays consistent in its intent even as the work evolves. That has helped us be more intentional about how Raabta is articulated, from the way we present our work to how we communicate our philosophy externally.

It has also shaped how we think about long-term brand building. Instead of focusing only on immediate outputs or individual projects, there is a constant focus on where the brand is heading, what it should be associated with over time, and how every decision contributes to that larger narrative.

At its core, it has helped me see Raabta Studios not just as a creative studio, but as a brand that needs to be built with strategic clarity, a strong point of view, and a long-term vision for how it should be perceived. 

M: In an industry crowded with talented photographers, how did you create a distinct identity for the brand?

MAB: For us it has always been about the connections you build and the honesty and dedication you bring to storytelling. That is what quietly shapes everything we do.

We don’t run behind trends or try to fit into what is currently popular. Instead, we focus on creating work that feels true to us. Each story becomes a reflection of the energy we receive from our couples and the collaboration we share with our team. That exchange is what fuels the creative process for us.

There is no effort to overstate or overstyle what we do. We prefer to put our heads down and focus on the craft, giving our complete attention and intent to every wedding we take on. Over time, this approach naturally attracts people who resonate with our way of seeing things.

That is really how the identity of Raabta has formed. Not through chasing visibility, but through consistency of intent, honesty in storytelling, and giving our absolute best to the people who trust us with their stories.

M: What were some of the biggest challenges you faced in the early years of building the company?

MAB: One of the biggest challenges in the early days was simply being a new name in a space where perception often comes from visibility. Raabta was a new company, but it was built on over a decade of experience. At that time, however, we didn’t have the Instagram presence that people often use as a proxy for credibility, so a lot of our early conversations were about reassuring clients of the depth of work and experience behind the brand.

We also started in 2022, when the wedding photography space was becoming increasingly crowded, with new studios emerging every day. Cutting through that noise required patience. Instead of trying to compete on visibility, we focused entirely on the work itself and let it slowly build trust over time.

Looking back, that phase really shaped us. It taught us to rely less on perception and more on consistency, clarity, and the strength of what we create.

M: Raabta has photographed weddings across multiple countries. How has working globally influenced your creative and business approach?

MAB: Working across countries changes your instincts more than anything else.

You stop looking at weddings as a fixed format. A celebration in Italy feels completely different from one in Bali or India, not just visually, but in how people behave, how emotions unfold, how much you need to step in or step back.

Creatively, it has made us less rigid. You can’t go in with a fixed idea of how things should look. You learn to respond to what’s actually happening in front of you, not what you planned.

On the business side, it’s made us more prepared. Logistics, timing, coordination, all of that becomes a much bigger part of the process when you’re working globally. You can’t leave things open-ended.

But the biggest shift is probably this: you realise the core of a wedding is the same everywhere. People, relationships, emotion. The setting changes, but what you’re really looking for doesn’t.

M: How do you balance artistic storytelling with the practical realities of running a growing business?

SB: For us, the balance comes very naturally because it is built into our partnership. Shrey focuses on the creative side of Raabta, the storytelling, the visual language, and the overall artistic direction while Manveen’s focus is on the practical realities of building and running the brand, from structure and planning to brand positioning and long-term direction.

Rather than separating art and business, we see them as two parts of the same vision. We are constantly in conversation, aligning on decisions and making sure both perspectives are represented in everything we do.

This partnership is what really works in our favour. It allows the creative process to stay uninterrupted while ensuring the business has the clarity and structure it needs to grow in a very intentional way.

M: The wedding industry is constantly changing. How do you ensure your work stays relevant without chasing trends?

MAB: We don’t really look at it as “keeping up” with trends. If anything, most of the time we’re actually ahead of them.

Shrey has been shooting weddings for over 14 years now, and with that kind of experience, you naturally start to develop your own way of seeing things. How you frame a bride, how you read a moment, how you build a visual story. A lot of what we see circulating today in wedding photography has, in some way, already been explored in that journey.

So for us, the focus has never been on following what’s happening in the industry. It’s more about trusting that instinct and continuing to evolve it.

Of course, we are aware of shifts in style and storytelling, but we don’t chase them. We absorb what feels relevant and leave the rest.

At this point, we’re not really trying to “stay relevant.” We’re just focused on doing work that feels honest to us. And if anything, that’s what tends to set direction rather than follow it.

M: What role has team-building played in helping Raabta scale over the last few years?

SB: We are very aware of the fact that we are nothing without our team. With the vision we have for Raabta Studios, the team is truly at the heart of everything we do.

Every person who has joined us on this journey has been someone Shrey has worked with for a minimum of three years. Our team is carefully curated, made up of individuals who deeply understand our vision, our visual language, and our honest approach to storytelling.

That alignment is what allows us to scale without diluting the work. It ensures that no matter who is behind the camera or on the edit table or part of the process, the intent remains the same - Raw, Real, Raabta - that always stays consistent with what we stand for.

M: Looking back, was there a particular project or milestone that felt like a turning point for the company?

MAB: One of the most significant turning points for us was being featured by Vogue as one of the top 5 wedding photographers in India to look out for in 2023. While it’s hard to quantify its direct impact from a client perspective, internally it felt like a huge moment of validation for everything we had been building.

At that stage, we were still in the early years of shaping Raabta Studios, and receiving that kind of recognition gave us a strong sense of confidence and reassurance that we were moving in the right direction. It was a meaningful milestone that not only boosted morale within the team, but also reinforced our belief in the work we were creating and the vision we were committed to.

M: Your work has received international recognition and major editorial features. How important are awards and industry validation in your journey?

SB: Awards and industry recognition are always encouraging, especially when they come from respected platforms, but they are not the foundation of why we do what we do. For us, the real focus has always been the work itself and the experience we are able to create for our clients, and if that resonates, recognition tends to follow naturally over time.

That said, these moments of validation do play an important role. They give the team a sense of reassurance and motivation, especially in the early years when you are still defining your place in the industry, and they also help open doors and initiate conversations that might not have happened otherwise. At the same time, they add meaningful accolades to a creative person’s portfolio, becoming part of how your journey and credibility are perceived over time.

But we’ve always been clear that while awards are not the objective, they are a meaningful part of the journey. The objective is to keep evolving our craft, stay honest to our storytelling, and build work that feels meaningful long after the moment has passed.

M: What have you learned about luxury clients and their expectations that you didn’t know when you first started?

MA: One of the biggest learnings over time has been that luxury clients are not just looking for beautiful work, they are looking for a sense of trust, comfort, and understanding in the people they choose to work with. The expectation goes far beyond the final output; it extends to how you show up throughout the entire process.

When we first started, we assumed the focus would primarily be on the visual outcome. But over time, we’ve realised that discretion, sensitivity, and the ability to read a moment without over-directing it are just as important as the creative output itself.

Another important shift in understanding has been around communication and presence. Luxury clients value clarity, calmness, and consistency. They want to feel assured that they are in capable hands, without needing to constantly manage or question the process.

M: When you look at the next five years, what excites you most about the future of Raabta Studios?

SB: What excites us most about the next five years is the direction in which weddings themselves are evolving. We are seeing couples and planners move towards celebrations that are far more personal, experiential, and reflective of who they are. There is a greater emphasis on storytelling, thoughtful details, unique destinations, and creating experiences that feel authentic rather than formulaic, and that is incredibly exciting for us as storytellers.

At the same time, we are excited about the growth of Raabta itself. We would love to expand our presence internationally, establish a base in another country, and continue building a brand that people connect with long before they begin planning their wedding. The dream is for Raabta to become a name that naturally finds its way onto a bride's moodboard, not because of trends or visibility, but because of the emotion, storytelling, and experience people associate with our work.

Ultimately, the next chapter is about exploration of new places, new people, new ideas, and continuing to discover possibilities that keep challenging and inspiring us creatively.