Features: Magazine | Literary Review | Life | Metro Plus | Open Page | Education Plus | Book Review | Business | SciTech | Friday Review | Cinema Plus | Young World | Property Plus | Quest |

Ramp act

Photo G. Krishnaswamy

Eco-friendly guru Prasad Bidappa

In a small hall complete with a practice ramp and professional lights, a bunch of teenagers walk awkwardly to blaring music and loud instructions.

“Turn left. Look stylish. Flaunt your attitude while walking.” They’re being taught how to emote confidence and it’s the familiar voice of fashion guru Prasad Bidappa behind the microphone. On a brief stopover to the city, the choreographer, who has churned out star models is at ease while working with the younger brigade.

“I love working with fresh faces and the GenNext also connects with me well. They know I am very approachable and not a snobbish person to deal with. If I don’t like something, I just shout and take it off. Moreover, my two children are 21 and 17. So, I know their mood swings,” he says while having a fleeting look at the wannabe models sitting in front of him. “These boys and girls are amateurs and need proper guidance and encouragement. We have to mould them and who knows one of them can become a Shah Rukh Khan in the future,” he says with confidence.

Prasad’s belief comes from his experience and can easily foretell whether a model can make it or not. His predictions have all come true and the list is impressive: Super model Noyanika chatterjee, model-turned actors Lara Dutta, Dino Morea and even the current flavour of the season, Deepika Padukone. “Deepika was just 12 when she accompanied her father Prakash Padukone. She was a gawky and reserved teenager but I knew she would soon be a stunner. I wanted her to finish school before I began her grooming. Now, she is one of the glamorous stars,” he says and adds, “When you look at someone, you know instantly whether the model is star material or not. Even when I met Anushka Sharma, I knew she had the potential.” he asserts. His projection has come true as the beauty is now making her debut with none other than king Khan.

While the Indian designers are dreaming of the glitzy ramps of Paris and Milan, the choreographer wants to make Indian fashion global. “A lot of designers export ghagras and saris and cater to Indians living abroad. But how many of our designers make clothes which do not restrict itself to the wedding collection and bring out the innate Indianness in it. There are designers like Abraham and Thakur who are addressing the issue and rising fashionably,” he states.

From grooming the models to making their walks tantalising, Prasad’s focus has now shifted to eco-friendly fabrics.

“I am concentrating on reviving traditional handlooms and the use of bio-degradable materials in designing. Hand-made cottons and silks when blended with materials like lycra are better than man-made nylon and polyester,” he avers. His schedule is also tied up with 2009 fashion week to be held in Bangalore and also programmes in Dubai and Colombo.

Finally, Prasad Bidappa has a special word for the ladies. “Handloom cottons and silks have acquired a fashionable avatar only due to the women. Men have to emulate them and shift to natural fabrics.” Ladies, take a bow.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail