Once upon a time,not too many seasons ago,I wrote how every fashion designer worth his sewing machine was aching to be in Bollywood. Last week,my pal Wendell Rodricks and I sniggered to each over the phone: Every actor worth his pancake wants to be on head-ramp. Its vengeance, we laughed. When a snootier-than-moi editor of a fashion zine gossiped with a failed-actress-turned-trying-socialite at India Couture Weeks VIP lounge saying: Why all this Bollywood on the ramp? Is this couture? Is this fashion?,I found myself disagreeing. Her latest issue (a wedding issue,if you please) had actress du jour Katrina (in black!) on the cover. Last month had Kajol and Shah Rukh Khan (They havent posed together in nine years, she diligently informs me),while former covers have included Kareena Kapoor,Priyanka Chopra,Bipasha Basu and practically every other half-decent looking actress. Kareena has graced every fashion magazine cover at least once; while Harpers Bazaars latest face is the mug of Sussane Khan whose only claim to fame is being Mrs Hrithik Roshan. While every fashion watcher has naysayed the invasion of actors on the runway,Im happy to have Salman Khan enthrall me with his sweet smiles and tush-shake. Akshay Kumar,the highest paid actor,loves to come on the catwalk and flirt uxoriously with his gorgeous wife on the front-row before playing to a field of shutterbugs. Even smaller designers are getting smaller actors from their front rows to their head ramps for a photo-op. And thats all that it is; a photo-op. If we stopped publishing and televising the actors pirouettes,and only focused on the lapels of a jacket or a modernised use of the kantha stitch,no designer would bother with showstoppers. But then,the great masses wouldnt watch their shows or read their reviews either. Red-carpet watching hasnt yet caught on in India. Reporters often dont ask,editors are less interested in who-wore-what than backstage frippery and stars often feel this basic information is too frivolous. Red-carpet fashion coverage can be tabloid-style journalism or a high-fashion article,depending on what you want to do with it. At our Screen awards every year,we make sure the winning and presenting stars wardrobes are given due credit. Last year,Aishwarya Rai wore a beautiful paisley pastel by Abu-Sandeep but we had to send a six-foot looker with a British accent to seat himself next to her and politely get it out of her. Bollywoods sudden interest in fashion is a good thing; there is no greater idiom in Indian popular culture than the movies. And for far too long have we had actors and actresses dress in high pants,tutu flounces and vivid colours. Films and fashion must have a symbiotic relationship. But just because Ranbir Kapoor takes the ramp for Varun Bahl,it doesnt mean Bahl will sell more clothes. But if anyone can get Hrithik to upchuck his sheer shirts,now theres a designer after my own heart. (namrata.sharma@expressindia.com)
