I wear black so no one knows if i’ve repeated an outfit

Shweta Shiware and photographer Shadab Khan catch Shahrukh Khan backstage for an exclusive chat before he takes the ramp at Lakmé Fashion Week.

Whoever thinks fashion is frivolous, surviving on air kisses and pink bubbly, should have dropped in at the rehearsal for Bollywood designer Manish Malhotra’s Knight Riders show at Lakmé Fashion Week, where anxiety and tempers ran amok.

Just then actress Preity Zinta steps in with NY hotelier Vikram Chatwal, the first celeb attendees to arrive followed by Kareena, Amisha Patel, Celina Jaitley, Genelia, D’Souza, Isha Koppikar and Kajol. “It’s only at my shows that front row celebs arrive before anyone else,” quips Manish, before springing towards Kareena to give her a hug.

“Shahrukh came up with the idea of a Knight Riders show. It made sense since black and gold were big last year. You can’t escape glam; a sport like cricket too has acquired a glam status. It’s nice to take fashion to the masses, don’t you think?” Manish asks before disappearing backstage.

In those dark recesses, glamour and politeness go for a toss in a mad rush to change outfits. “Your laces are mismatched,” Manish screams to his assistant, wiping off the frown in time to greet actor Arjun Rampal and wife Mehr, who’ve made a last minute decision to attend.

A sharp contrast to the storm brewing backstage, Shahrukh Khan arrives looking eerily composed, a cigarette keeping him company while he scans LCD screens to soak in the madness outside. The crew whispers he’s here, before he heads to a plush lounge.

“Boys, believe in yourself,” the crew-in-charge peps the rest when the Knight Riders anthem thunders and models take a last look in the mirror.

At the fag end of the show, Manish is a less anxious man. He takes a deep breath, adjusts his hair, waiting to be called to take a bow with SRK. The crew has their eyes glued on the LCD, pretty much like they would if India played a rival on a cricket pitch. And when the designer and his muse stand before the photographers’ pit, the cheering backstage takes a deafening turn. It’s over. Phew!

SRK talks fashion

Who is your favourite designer?
Karan (Johar), Anaita (Adajania)… (We interrupt to tell him they are stylists, not designers). What’s the difference, Manish (he turns to Manish Malhotra)? But then Manish only designs for pretty actresses.

How long did you take to dress up for the Golden Globes?
Two minutes. I always wear black. It’s easier since no one can tell if I am repeating a garment.

Being a favourite with fashion designers, has any designer hit on you?
Naresh from Masculine is my oldest friend, who I have worked with when no one did. There’s Shabina (Khan), Manish (Malhotra), but (takes a long pause) nobody has ever hit on me. Neither men or women. I don’t get hit on, I just dish out hits.

Through your films you’ve set fashion trends that are emulated by fans. How do you feel about that?
I wear clothes to cover my body. Comfort is important, that’s why you will always find me in jeans and tees. My children don’t like me wearing shirt and trousers (smiles).

Off late you have been sporting a Kaffeyah, a favourite with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. Do you consider the religious connotations of a garment?
Karan (Johar) picked a couple of them for me from Belgian designer Martin Margiela and said, “Bhai, you should wear it.” That’s when I began sporting them. Before it became a fashion statement, I used it as a sling after my surgery. I have asked Manish to design some along the Knight Riders theme.

For me, there are no political or religious sentiments. It’s the Shahrukh Khan sentiment. It’s about love. I wear trousers. Tonight I am wearing a Bengali-style dhoti for the show. Fashion should never be a creation of religion or politics.

Good models look like fish deprived of sex

“We love you!” shrieks were heard from some of the last rows when Shahrukh Khan walked the ramp for Manish Malhotra’s Knight Riders show. The star walked the ramp in black dhoti pyjamas worn under a black vest, his arm safe in specially designed gold sling. “He (Manish) has designed a lot of things, but this is the first time the man’s made an arm sling!” he said, and the crowd guffawed at his wit, and possibly his ability to turn everything about him, SRK.

As the line of black-and-gold sporty-cum-party garments (in sync with Kolkotta Knight Riders’ uniforms) terminated, SRK decided to be a rather “honest” showstopper — and expressed how he doesn’t look good, can’t walk but still had the privilege of walking the ramp. “Lubna (Adams) told me to suck my cheeks in, pucker my lips and then look really angry; that’s what all good models do — they all look like fish deprived of sex.”

The sweatpants/shorts and hoodies may not have stolen the show, but SRK managed to up the ante on the glam radar by “felicitating” models-turned-actors (like good friend Arjun) among others. By the end of it, we weren’t sure what we were laughing at — the plight of the fashion industry, that Bollywood rules everywhere, or both.

SRK walks the ramp for Manish Malhotra at Lakme fashion week - Video

In Pics: Shahrukh Khan Walks The Ramp at Lakme Fashion Week

SRK: Thank you very much!

What a day! First there was Akshay Kumar and then Shah Rukh Khan who never, ever fails to entertain you. His spontaneity and charm is unmatched and ever-so-endearing. For the first time, the audience at the 2009 LFW was laughing their hearts out, shouting, screaming, clapping and yelling, “Love you, SRK” to which the superstar replied, “Thank you, darling!”

And what a star studded audience it was. From Vikram Chatwal, Preity Zinta, Hrithik Roshan and wife Susanne, Kareena Kapoor(not with Saif), Tusshar, Genelia, Sridevi with Boney and daughter, Arjun Rampal with his stunning wife Mehr, Anu Dewan, Gauri Khan (of course), Rita Dhody with Nari (we think they are more than just friends) to Anaita Shroff Adajania (who was seen chatting with Sabina and Anil Chopra) and Parmeshwar Godrej.

Shah Rukh, in a black coat and chocolate brown dhoti pants with a designer gold sling was the showstopper. He walked the ramp and then unlike any showstopper before him, started talking, because he doesn’t do anything without a mic!

“This was gooood!” he exclaimed, “For formality sake, I want to thank the Lakme Fashion Week for having me here because I am neither tall nor good looking. You are very kind people. I would also like to thank all the models who were very kind to me backstage. Thank you everyone as you made me feel that I could do this and my Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) team. Since our growing years, we have been taught to believe in the notion that models can’t act but my handsome, beautiful and very talented friend Arjun Rampal has proved them wrong. Then there is Deepika Padukone, Aishwarya Rai, Sushmita Sen, Priyanka Chopra, John Abraham who has muscles everywhere, Dino Morea and even Zeenat Aman has been a model. All you models are wonderful and talented. Thank you”

“I would also like to thank my beautiful friends Kajol, Kareena, Preity Zinta, Boney and Sri and my wife Gauri. She said she would talk to me the next morning no matter how I do now. I would like to thank Preity because she has joined KKR now,” he laughed

“Choreographer Lubna Adams has done a great job and she tried to make me look good. She told me to give her my 'good looking face' and I showed her and said, 'This is it. So she said 'Well, you will have to change it by sucking in your face, pouting and looking very angry.' So I showed her like this and she said 'You look like a fish that is starved of sex.' I didn’t mind the fish part but well, I am a Khan and I have some reputation! Then Karan tried to show me and he asked me to look as if I didn’t give a beep!” he said and everyone burst into laughter.

Lastly he introduced and welcomed designer Manish Malhotra on stage. He said, “He designs for the wonderful and beautiful boys and girls on screen but he is the first designer in the history of mankind and in the world to design a sling. If you guys (LFW) give away Filmfare awards, then he should get it for making a sling. Thank you very much, guys.”

I cannot forget mentioning the collection which comprised sporty wear in black and gold. For the first time probably, a Manish Malhotra show didn’t have bright colours. Korbo Jeeto Re was the main song. Topless male models looking super hot with six pack abs opened the show and the girls were floored. They haven’t looked so appealing before. The super energetic and inimitable Alesia Raut was the first one to strut her stuff. Her energy, seen by the way her shiny long pony tail swayed from side to side is so appealing and unmatched!

The metallic black and gold KKR collection comprised dhoti pants, racer backs, ghaghras, mini dresses, short skirts, hot pants, sarees jeans, t-shirts, coats, cropped jackets and jumpsuits. Everything was paired with metallic gold sneakers. The accessories comprised glares in gold and pop colours, waist pouches, calf shields, boots, gold bags and caps.

All uber sporty, trendy, sexy and glam! Because of SRK and the sheer energy of the show made it unforgettable. A super success and by far the most entertaining show we have seen this fashion week!