Padma Lakshmi exudes glamour in a sheer white dress while Freida Pinto looks leggy in a pink mini as Pirelli's 2027 calendar pays homage to India with all-South Asian cast

The 2027 Pirelli calendar has paid homage to the beauty and culture of India, with the likes of Padma Lakshmi and Freida Pinto among the all Indian cast. Padma, 56, looked incredible in the shoot as she modelled a white dress while posing in a lily pad pool. The Top Chef star - who was born in India and immigrated to the United States as a child - looked incredible in the snap as she made her return to the calendar, having first appeared in the 2025 edition. Padma said she 'couldn't wait' to return after learning the calendar would be photographed in India and with an all-Indian cast and, despite the intense heat, she described the Rajasthan set as beautiful.She explained: 'I thought it was a good omen because my name in Sanskrit means lotus, Padma, so I was very pleased. 'I felt ethereal and like myself, and I thought the whole thing came together effortlessly and in such an organic and pure, timeless way.' The 2027 Pirelli calendar has paid homage to the beauty and culture of India, with the likes of Padma Lakshmi (pictured) and Freida Pinto among the all Indian cast Making her Pirelli debut was Freida, 42, who slipped into a fuchsia mini dress to pose against a backdrop of bougainvilleasMaking her Pirelli debut was Freida, 42, who slipped into a fuchsia mini dress to pose against a backdrop of bougainvilleas. The Slumdog Millionaire star, who was born and raised in Mumbai, said she was 'overjoyed' to be asked to take part and is excited to see what the calendar will communicate about India.Freida shared: 'I hope this calendar will convey our true diversity. 'We are one people of one race, but within that race, we have so much colour and flavour and variations and shades, and I'm not just talking about externally, I'm talking about internally as well.'Our cultures shift. A main culture could be that of India, but within that, what South India gave me, as opposed to what Bombay gave me, is so different. 'So, when people see this calendar, I hope they see how different we are and how we can all still coexist beautifully. 'I hope they also see a message of coexistence, not just for one country but for the whole world. That we're all the same: human.' Model Lakshmi Menon posed for a snap inspired by Holi, a Hindu festival of colours, love, and spring that celebrates the triumph of good over evil and the divine love of Radha and Krishna.The Bangalore native, 44, praised the fashion industry for featuring more diversity, saying 'Now you see a lot more diverse faces, Indian faces, in fashion. 'These things take time, but there are a lot more Indian girls in the business now than there were when I was there. I think it was just me at that point.' Model Lakshmi Menon posed for a snap inspired by Holi, a Hindu festival of colours, love, and spring that celebrates the triumph of good over evil and the divine love of Radha and Krishna Photographer Avani Rai did not just shoot the calendar but appeared in it, posing for a striking shot while clad in a vibrant orange gown Bollywood actress Aditi Rao Hydari, from Hyderabad, posed in a silver shift dress on a bed of flowers at the majestic Jaigarh Fort in Jaipur Model Bhavitha Mandava, a Telangana native, slipped into a gold dress and accessorised with statement earrings as she posed against a wall at Jaigarh Fort in Jaipur, RajasthanAlso featured in this year's calendar are actresses Aditi Rao Hydari and Avantika Vandanapu; musician and composer Anoushka Shankar; poet and performer Rupi Kaur; model Bhavitha Mandava; and photographer Avani Rai, who appears both behind the camera and in front of Sundsbø's lens. Presented on Friday in New Delhi, the calendar has for the first time in its history, three photographers offering different perspectives on the country.Sølve Sundsbø, who also shot the 2026 edition, was joined by Raghu Rai, who passed away in April 2026, and his daughter Avani Rai, who took up her father's legacy and carried the project forward after his death. 'Close your eyes and think of India. What do you see?' Sølve said of the inspiration. 'Perhaps a colour, a face, a crowded street, a landscape, a ritual. 'But 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.' Pirelli's UK arm has published the calendar annually since 1964 with limited availability, as it is not sold and is instead given away to celebrities and select Pirelli customers as a gift.In 1987, Naomi Campbell featured on the calendar at just 16, while other stars to have been photographed for it include Patti Smith, Serena Williams, Yoko Ono, Grimes, Alicia Vikander, St Vincent, Cara Delevingne, Emma Watson, Whoopi Goldberg, Nicole Kidman and Iggy Pop.The Pirelli calendar was once synonymous with scantily-clad women, sizzling photo shoots and topless models. Yet the Italian tyre company first signalled it was changing direction with its 2017 calendars, announcing it was 'ripping up the rule book' and giving the hotly-anticipated calendar a new feminist overhaul. Presented on Friday in New Delhi, the calendar has for the first time in its history, three photographers offering different perspectives on the country Photographer Sølve Sundsbø said of the inspiration: 'Close your eyes and think of India. What do you see? Perhaps a colour, a face, a crowded street, a landscape, a ritual' He continued: 'But 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' Pirelli's UK arm has published the calendar annually since 1964 with limited availability, as it is not sold and is instead given away to celebrities and select Pirelli customers as a gift The Pirelli calendar was once synonymous with scantily-clad women, sizzling photo shoots and topless models but in 2017 the hotly-anticipated calendar was given a feminist overhaulThe spread featured Robin Wright, Julianne Moore, Charlotte Rampling, and Helen Mirren (then aged 50, 55, 70, and 71 respectively) and was hailed a triumph for its representation of older women. In 2020, the women chosen - which included the likes of Emma Watson, Kristen Stewart and Claire Foy - had all made headlines for their outspoken views on socio-political issues. They were also all fully clothed - in everything from denim jackets to period costumes - as they each took on the role of Shakespeare's Juliet.The spread, shot by celebrated fashion photographer Paolo Roversi, was dubbed the 'wokest' Pirelli calendar to date.The following year the calendar was not released due to the Covid pandemic, the only year it has not been published since 1964.