Bollywood belles open Cannes of worms

 

MUMBAI: It is happening all over again. With no lessons learnt from previous years’ fashion faux pas at the Cannes Film Festival, Bollywood glamour girls are dolling up in western clothes once more.

 

While the couture has become hauter—Preity Zinta will wear Louis Vuitton, for instance—the bearing just seems to have gone awry.

 

Fashion commentator Shobhaa De says, “It is disaster, disaster, disaster. When India is the international flavour, why are our girls dressing like Marys off to church? Even if it is fusion wear, they should be showcasing our brilliant crafts. Instead, they are looking like Hispanic nobodies: Penelope Cruz’s handmaidens, Salma Hayek’s dressers.”

 

De’s advise is, “Bollywood actresses should wear India with pride. If these women feel like behenjis in traditional Kanjeevarams, they can get themselves sexy saris. Especially at Cannes, people would understand. Why these dreadful dresses?”

 

She says Indian women don’t have the bodies to carry Western clothes. “We don’t know how to stand in these frocks. Look at Preity. Her legs are going all over, her body language is all wrong. We are not used to Western clothes. Our legs let us down.”

 

Which Hindi film actress, according to De, can sport an Armani, Chanel or Prada in style? “Shilpa Shetty. Her legs, hips… the proportions are right.”

 

Designer Manish Malhotra, who has created a sari for Preity in black net, agrees that India should be the theme of Bollywood fashion at Cannes.

 

“Indian actresses must wear Indian outfits, but with thought and relevance. It is not necessary to dress Indian, but one can use some interesting Indian influence in accessories, motif, embroidery and fabric. It was quite cool when Nandita (Das) did it. The whole Indian look was very nice on her; it showed a lot of confidence. Today, it is time to show the world contemporary cuts using our textiles instead of doing what everyone else is doing.”

 

India is all the rage abroad, but some designers with international credentials say Bollywood stars should choose outfits that showcase true Indian craftsmanship, but with a contemporary flair.

 

Designer Gaurav Bhatia, once based in New York, but now in Mumbai, says, “People abroad swoon over our sari. It’s traditional and can still be carried off with élan. And it’s Cannes, so indulge in a little oomph. Our actors at Cannes are cultural ambassadors and must represent India’s maturing fashion sense.”