I'm here to stay as a designer, film producer, Says Manish Malhotra

For Manish Malhotra, it is all about storytelling—whether he is creating designs for the ramp or making films.

The renowned fashion designer, who has worked for 35 years, said he was always eager to do something more than clothes. And that's how he started his production house, Stage5 Production.

"When I feel like doing something that doesn't relate to clothes, what would it be? For me, it would be films. So I am here to stay as a designer, as a producer, and I will make sure to create and curate some good stories," Malhotra said in an interview to PTI at Lakmé Fashion Week X FDCI.

Founded in September 2023, Stage5 Production will make its debut with the suspense drama Saali Mohabbat directed by actor-turned-filmmaker Tisca Chopra. The banner also has a few more projects in the works, such as Bun Tikki with Shabana Azmi, Zeenat Aman, and Abhay Deol and Ul-jalool Ishq with Vijay Varma, Fatima Sana Shaikh, and Naseeruddin Shah.

Malhotra's interest in cinema began when he was just a child. He started learning about cinema at the age of six.

"It’s been 35 years. I’ve closely observed producers, directors, and formed friendships with many of them. I’m deeply interested in screenplays, so for me, films feel like home," he said.

A trailblazer who seamlessly merged Bollywood and high fashion, Malhotra started his career in costume design in 1990 with Swarg. He later created Sridevi’s iconic look in Gumrah (1993) and went on to design costumes for legendary films like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Raja Hindustani, Dil Toh Pagal Hai, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham…. His work on Rangeela (1995) won him his first Filmfare Award.

Though making movies is associated with problems, Malhotra has faith in himself to maneuver the trade.

"To me, it's my passion. It's not profit or making money, but supporting the types of stories many of the leading producers may turn their backs on—perhaps because they're too small or personal for them. But to me, it's all about telling the story worth telling. I'm loving building every element of it, from costumes and design to dialogue and casting. We are already preparing our next three projects, and it's an exhilarating process," he detailed.

At Meta Fashion Talks X Manish Malhotra, which was a parallel event at LFW X FDCI, Malhotra said the thought of turning producer first occurred to him during the COVID-19 pandemic.

While he made his name creating glamorous clothes for Bollywood's top stars, he wanted his production company to be backing "huge storytellers, different ideas."

"Actually, one of the actress friends called me for one of the films and she was like, 'This is not you. And I didn't want to do this'. I was like, 'I want to do this'. She told me, 'But it is not your type of film'. I told her, 'Exactly that's what I want. As a producer, I need to make such movies which may be not my type according to you'."

Malhotra is adamant that there is no limit to storytelling.

"Everything has to be flexible. I feel post-COVID, people are more receptive to a designer creating movies or doing something new and innovative. Fashion has changed dramatically. The food sector has changed immensely. We're more accepting of change now," he explained.

His career in showbiz started at age 17 when he was hired as a model and earned Rs 2,000 for his debut ad.

"My father believed I was going to be an actor. And I used to say, 'No, I am not going to be an actor. I want to be a film director or a designer.' There were no fashion design courses for men in Mumbai at that time, and NIFT in Delhi had just begun," he remembered.

Describing himself as a "risk taker," Malhotra added that he welcomes both success and failure.

"I get the feeling each day is not Sunday. At times you win, and other times you lose. You get defeated, make errors. And it's just okay to commit errors. I was set to work hand-in-hand with actresses, which implies working extra hours without pay. But I did not mind that," he revealed.

His movement into starting his own fashion line wasn't predetermined—it evolved organically.

"I never even considered entering the fashion business. I thought I would always be a costume designer and stylist. But then people began coming up to me, saying, 'Do you do wedding attire?' I would say, 'No, I do film design.' But one day in my career, I thought, 'Why not begin a label? My work is already so popular,'" he explained.

The Lakmé Fashion Week X FDCI grand finale was held on Sunday, another landmark in Malhotra's illustrious career that spans many different facets.