Designer Diary: From Haryana to Cannes

I was asked, "Oh, who does she think she is," What is she?" "How did she get there?" I always answered these questions with: Can you get to where Mallika Sherawat is? I remember the first time I met this sweet Reema Lamba (her real name) at a sari shoot and my impression of her was that she is a smart go-getter, who shoots her mouth off and says what she thinks. I thought to myself she will go places. And she did.

Before long I got a call from producer Vashu Bhagnani, saying please help Reema, for my film. When I met her she told me that she appreciated me being nice to her because she had a bad experience with the other designers, who disrespected her, I gave her my best and then she said something that remained with me. She said, "I will never forget what you have done for me, Ashley. One day I will become a huge star and only you will do my clothes."

I thought to myself: ya, sure.

But she did go on to become a big star. She took her mother's name and became Mallika Sherawat, and called me for every film she signed to do her clothes. She also got me to make her many red carpet gowns for the Cannes film festival and many international events, and used my design skill to the fullest and made me internationally famous and my respect for her grew by leaps and bounds because by now every top Indian and international designer wanted to dress her but she chose me. Every time.

Last week, when she was back in Mumbai, I met her. She was dressed in a designer French jacket, Gucci shoes on her feet, solitaire on her finger and her French boyfriend by her side. All I can say to her is "Way to go, girl. You deserve it all." But it bothers me that she is seeking work in the west, and left the best of offers in Indian film industry who made her who she is. Irrespective, the 21 kisses (in her debut film) and the shedding of her clothes never changed the girl inside her, that is just the same whenever I meet her. I wish her all the success for her second innings in Bollywood.