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Dressing up Bollywood

Even as "Kabhie Alvida Na Kehna" is all set for release, ANUJ KUMAR speaks to Manish Malhotra about the look of the film and more

PHOTO: K. MURALI

MAN OF THE MOMENT Manish Malhotra shares it all

Eleven years ago, he brought fashion into Bollywood. The film was Rangeela and the man was Manish Malhotra. It's not that Hindi films earlier didn't inspire the neighbourhood tailor. But does anybody remember who was the man behind Amitabh Bachchan's knotted shirt in Deewar or Neetu Singh's bell-bottoms. With Manish came the prefix designer, liberally used with the genre of the film. Out went the dresswallahs and his films became a window to the latest trends. The credits of films started showing `costume designer'.

Now comes Kabhie Alvida Na Kehna, which Manish again expects to be a trendsetter. "When I started industry used to work like five dresses for songs, three for romantic scenes, two for family sequences. I started designing according to characters. Rangeela brought the hip-hop fashion into vogue but over the years it has evolved into too much of in-your-face kind of styling. I believe it's time to turn classic, which Kabhie... is all about."

Expressing characters

Manish says Karan Johar's script is unusual and hence demanded a different perspective from the costume designer. It's for the first time that he is doing the costumes of the entire cast in a Karan Johar film - from Shah Rukh to Amitabh Bachchan. "Here the costumes express the characters and take the narrative - where two couples are not happy with their marital lives - forward. Shah Rukh plays football in the film, so I have given him a grungy, distressed look - lots of cargos and vintage jeans. He even sports a tattoo near the elbow. I am sure it's going to be a rage."

Gold is back

The story unfolds in New York, so audiences will find a wintry feel to the costumes. "Then for Abhishek," continues Manish, "I have matched T-shirts with velvet and corduroy blazers. He plays an event manager so I have given him a stylish Manhattan look. For Rani there are lots of saris and streamlined long skirts and for Preity, who plays a fashion editor, I have designed short skirts."

Despite her short height, Manish says Rani looks amazing in long skirts. "Her body type is such. I tried long skirts with her in Chalte Chalte and they became a fashion statement." According to Manish, gold is in fashion again, and this reflects in Rani sporting a gold sari and Preity wearing long gold chains.

As for the Big B, Manish says he exudes flamboyance in the film. "Colourful outfits with matching flashy glasses." Of late, Bachchan has been in news for expensive sunglasses, but Manish doesn't believe that the film will again bring the issue into focus.

Karan is known to be very particular with the look of the film. Agrees Manish, "He asked for 21 costume changes. In the end we agreed for 17-18."

Over the years, Manish has worked with the who's who of the industry, but Sridevi remains his favourite. "One shouldn't forget one's roots. She worked with me when I was virtually nobody. She has amazing understanding of costumes as well."

Manish does mind his films (particularly those directed by Karan) being dubbed as `designer romance' by critics. "Karan's cinema is always rich. Still point out one outfit of Preity, which was not in consonance with the growth of her character in Kal Ho Na Ho. Any way, it feels great when NRIs ask for Shah Rukh's `Mahi Ve' kurta from Kal Ho Na Ho or when you are told there is a website that offers copies of my costumes."

Manish, who always holds that had he not been a costume designer he would have been a director, agrees in the absence of casting directors in Bollywood, costume designer's role becomes all the more crucial. "In a way, yes. First the cast is chosen and then we had to work on them to look like the characters of the script."

As for his directorial debut, Manish says it has to wait for a year. "I have been too busy setting my infrastructure in different places. Recently, I opened a store in Dubai. By January I am going to have one in Delhi. Then I am participating in fashion weeks across the globe. I am leaving for South Africa Fashion Week. Last year I showcased in Lakme Fashion Week, but this year I would participate in Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week. Then Los Angeles... ." No Alvida for this man of the moment.

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