The Hindu Business Line : Manish Malhotra brings `MM' label to Bangalore

"BOLLYWOOD has come a long way since the time producers' cheques used to bounce," says designer, Mr Manish Malhotra, adding, "And I have worked really hard to change that."

Mr Malhotra shot into limelight 13 years ago when he worked with Juhi Chawla in the movie Swarg. Since then he has worked with some of the top names in Bollywood such as Sridevi, Urmila Matondkar, Kajol, Karisma Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor, Shilpa Shetty, Madhuri Dixit, Manisha Koirala and Aishwarya Rai.

Though clothes are a celebration for this fashion designer, he believes in working on the `whole look' rather than clothes alone — jewellery, accessories, hairdos, etc.

Mr Malhotra admits he has had the `guts' to experiment in new areas of design because he is not formally trained in any one aspect, not even clothes. "I started off working in a boutique, draping a sari on a mannequin and grew from there."

In fact, Mr Malhotra will take to direction when he launches his film early next year. "It'll be a musical, starring Kareena Kapoor and Shahid," he says.

Incidentally, the Manish Malhotra label has also crossed the shores and touched the wardrobes of Michael Jackson and Lady Weber (wife of Sir Andrew Lloyd Weber.

He has also designed a restaurant (Soy) and a special line of footwear (for Metro Shoes).

Talking of the Indian design industry, Mr Malhotra feels what we lack here is funding, like international design houses have. "And tell me how many movies have mega budgets like Hollywood does?" he asks. Mr Manish Malhotra was in Bangalore last week to launch his new pret line at Evoluzione, a lifestyle store. "The `MM' label will represent glamour, but the clothes are very well priced," says Mr Malhotra. In his opinion, Bangalore has `lovely vibes' and like in Mumbai, "here an individual matters and not his surname."

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Manish Malhotra brings `MM' label to Bangalore