But designer Ritu Kumar has been claiming that she has restored Sharmila Tagore’s 40-year-old lehenga which Kareena will wear on the wedding day... That’s not true at all. For the past two weeks, the workers in my unit have been painstakingly restoring Sharmila ji’s old wedding lehenga that Bebo will wear for her nikaah on the 16th. I’ve put a lot of effort into carefully restoring the golden zardosi work. I don’t know how someone else can claim to be doing it. That would not be right.
Why would Ritu Kumar claim otherwise in interviews? She has also shared a sketch of the same with the press I can’t comment on that. Ritu ji is a senior designer.
What else have you designed for Kareena around her big day? I am doing all of Kareena’s outfits, in fact all of Lolo’s outfits, too (Lolo is Kareena’s sister Karisma’s nickname). For a pre-wedding function on the 14th, I have designed a garara for her, since gararas are so in these days. Then she will wear Sharmila ji’s royal lehenga on the 16th for the signing ceremony, followed by another lehenga for a party with close friends in the evening. For her more formal reception in Delhi on the 18th, I’ve planned an exquisite sari for her.
Is Saif Ali Khan also going to wear your creations? No he won’t. As far as I know, Raghavendra Rathore is designing his wedding outfit. Saif anyway is a very classic suit kind of a person. Kareena, however has insisted that all her outfits be completely Indian, and all should have an old-world charm to them.
Apart from being her designer, you are also Kareena’s closest friend. How are the preparations for the wedding? My house has become a rehearsal venue as all of us — me, Karan (Johar), Amrita Arora etc are practicing our dancing steps everyday for Bebo’s sangeet. We shall be dancing on Kareena’s popular numbers such as Chhammak Chhallo but we’ll also be dancing and enacting a lot of Saif’s songs. We are sure that would make her even happier.
And Ritu says... We called Ritu Kumar to check on Manish’s claim and whether she is still restoring Kareena’s dress. “I just don’t want to say anything now, it is a sensitive topic for me. The family is best placed to comment on it,” she said.
