Over 350 films, hundreds of ramp shows and many fashion seasons later, Rocky S pushes the frontiers of fame and rolls out his own production house.
The story has all the makings of a Bollywood pot-boiler. But his debut film as producer will have nothing to do with films or fashion. “It will be a full-fledged comedy. Laughter moves the world. By making people laugh, you can touch their hearts,” says the designer who has dressed up everyone from pop divas Pussycat Dolls to Bollywood stars Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif, John Abraham, Bipasha Basu and more.
Two decades ago, a star-struck commerce graduate wandered into the studios of Mumbai with the dream of making it in any department of filmmaking. After hanging out on the sets, he realised clothes were his calling. He began by tailoring one-off ensembles for actors. His aesthetics were strong — clean lines, sharp tailoring and creative use of colour. Soon, it began to rain offers and films became the stepping stone to a flourishing retail business.
Production was a natural next step for someone who has been “working with stars and walking in their shoes for two decades”. Rocky launched E-Sense Motion Pictures when he wanted to up his role in the industry. “I’m happy to make films. Production involves multi-level coordination. I will be deciding on the overall look of my film, but will also have people to work for me – from direction to aesthetics. It will be a stylishly-mounted film.”
Speaking like a seasoned producer, Rocky says, “I will scout for fresh talent. But right now, I’m concentrating on the script (by Mushtaq Sheik of Ra One and Om Shanti Om fame). A solid script with effective humour is what I’m looking at.”
Can he tailor success in production too? We’ll probably know by Fall-Winter next year!
