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Dressing up Bollywood

Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna is set for release and Manish Malhotra explains the look of the film and more

PHOTO: MURALI KUMAR K.

MAN OF THE MOMENT Manish Malhotra: `I believe it's time to turn classic, which Kabhi... is all about'

Eleven years ago, he brought fashion to 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 Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, which Manish again expects to be a trendsetter. "When I started, the 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 Kabhi... is all about."

Different perspective

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 forward narrative — where both the couples are not happy with their marital lives. Shah Rukh plays football in the film, so I've 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."

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 frame, 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." Over the years, Manish has worked with the who's who of the industry, but Sridevi remains his favourite. "She worked with me when I was virtually a nobody. She has an 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. It feels great when NRIs ask for Shah Rukh's "Mahi Ve" kurta from Kal Ho Na Ho."

As for his directorial debut, it has to wait for a year. "I have been too busy setting my infrastructure in different places." Besides a string of fashion shows in various parts of the country and abroad. No Alvida for this man at the moment.

ANUJ KUMAR

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