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Manish Malhotra has been making costumes for Bollywood films for many decades now. Besides being an ace fashion designer with his own brand, Malhotra also has a long-standing association with Bollywood. In his long career, he has worked with many filmmakers on iconic projects. Recently, he was asked about his brief association with Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Manish recently appeared on Kajol and Twinkle Khanna’s show, Two Much, where he was asked about not working with Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Manish Malhotra said, “I did only one film, Khamoshi. After that, we never worked together.” Khamoshi: The Musical was released in 1996 and marked Bhansali’s directorial debut. Manish said, “I think once somebody asked him that and he always thought I was very friendly with Karan Johar and Adi (Aditya Chopra), in that group kind of thing.” Manish even confronted Bhansali about this. He said, “I said, ‘Sanjay, I am a professional and I can work with so many different actors.’ Yes, but sometimes some things just don’t happen, and then you just make your own path.” Manish’s journey with fashion began through his love for cinema. On the show, he also reflected on how his journey as a costume designer started. He said, “I was born interested in movies. At the age of six, I would want to dance to every song, and I was interested in clothes. One thing, I have to give it to my mother; she encouraged my love of films. I wanted to change the way films look.” “Because, in the late 80s, movies had stopped looking good. All stars in the 70s were so stylish — from Rajesh Khanna’s kurtas to Amit Ji’s collars, Zeenat Aman, and all of them. But in the late 80s, I think that was missing. And I was determined that I would only design for movies, and I’ll always be a costume designer. So yeah, that’s how films happened,” he shared. About Manish Malhotra Few names in Indian fashion command as much reverence as Manish Malhotra. For over three decades, his artistry has defined the very look and feel of modern Bollywood cinema. His first major breakthrough came in 1995 with Rangeela, where his contemporary, character-driven costumes for Urmila Matondkar redefined what on-screen glamour could look like. The film’s success made costume design a talking point in popular culture. By the late 1990s and early 2000s, Manish Malhotra had become synonymous with opulence and style. His collaborations with directors like Karan Johar and Yash Chopra brought forth an era of cinematic fashion that audiences still idolise. Think chiffon saris against the Swiss Alps, luxurious lehengas in palatial weddings, and sharply tailored menswear for leading heroes—all stamped with Malhotra’s signature blend of traditional richness and modern sensibility.
