GRAND, GRAND FINALE OF INDIA BRIDAL WEEK

Here I go: Sometime this week I was approached by a very drunk partygoer @ Olive Bar and Kitchen who asked me "What the hell do you do?". Now although I wear many hats, since I was currently modelling, I said "I am a model". She continued to take a good ten minutes out of her drinking schedule to berate me with her commentary on how uneducated I must be because I am a "model" and how I must not have a degree etc. I smiled to myself with knowledge that I'd graduated on a full scholarship to a University in New York and without any need to justify my string of accomplishments to anybody... let alone a drunk stranger@ She then changed her tune like a chameleon and asked me if I'd like to come over to her house for dinner with her billionaire fiancé!! As charming and inviting as that proposal seemed to be I smiled politely and declined her offer.

 

The very next day a model from New York – Diva - asked me "Why are you here?" The question seemed abrupt and somewhat obtuse but she immediately clarified it sweetly with a statement of how she's here from New York modelling and asked how did I end up here? Jumping in my observation yet again I take you to a few years ago when I watched a documentary before arriving in India about how after concluding a worldwide census, a figure was collated showing that 97 per cent of the population work just to make money and survive and only THREE per cent do exactly what they've always dreamed of doing. So - to answer your question Diva - I'm here in Mumbai doing exactly what I want to and I'm so very grateful and happy to be a part of that 3 per cent. And to the intoxicated stranger @ Olive - whether you would like to believe it or not there are some beautiful, healthy and loving young girls out there that are articulate and educated and with a conscience and I have met so many of them this week alone!! These are the girls that walk the ramp tonight for a man of substance... for a man seeping with style... and for a man that I find ground breaking and full of wealth: JJ Valaya.

 

It's an early morning start to the day and JJ is on time as are his garments. I'm violently shaking and I can't even conceive how I have even made it to this venue today. I pop 2 Crocin cold and flu tablets and madly cover up with jackets, cardigans etc. Thank God JJ is on time! I recall my last conversations with JJ in Delhi for my TV show "I Love Style" and how much we laughed and laughed while it stormed outside! He had introduced me to his Turkish inspired collection and I'm curious to see if it is the same collection that I'm modelling yet again. The clothes come out for our morning fittings with JJ and Apu and my fever stops in its tracks at the opulence, richness and character of the story he has created! It is so "Valaya" to say the least! Yes it is the same Turkish collection but much more! The color palette is deep, rich and royal. The prints are a hybrid of Ottoman influences and Indian and what looks to me to be an infusion of Oriental too. There are distinct layers and saris have churidar's under them with jackets and ghagra's with churidar's. Every garment is unique and eclectic and layered. The ordinary has been invaded with the extraordinary! For the first time this week I close my eyes and imagine my own would-be wedding. I like... I love this collection.

 

Nargis Fakri and other celebrities trickle in for their fittings. Nargis is our show stopper and she looks absolutely radiant in a signature JJ Valaya Jacket. She's so very beautiful and I find myself wishing she does well in life even though I don't know her! I wonder why I react like this to her and feel an instant fondness to a stranger? Then it dawns on me how much of a blessing and a curse beauty can be! Some see beauty and immediately get enchanted by them and this beauty opens many doors for the "beautiful". And then there are others who see beauty and immediately become jealous and start to presume things about the beautiful and make life difficult for them. It's truly a double edged sword! What I've discovered working in the "beauty" industry is that the way you treat people really depends on how you see yourself... this is something I've definitely discovered over the years. Beauty really and truly shines from the inside out! Some people are so nasty and you wonder why but then you realize they don't love themselves very much or like what they see in their own lives.

 

With fittings over and a huge day ahead of us we meet the L'Oreal Dream Team who are presenting JJ's show and creating our look for the day. As always, I'm one of the first to sit for Hair and Make-up. Every model has their own rituals and practices. I've noticed that senior models like to do their hair and make-up last so that it is fresh and perfect for the show. I like to get everything done ASAP so I have the rest of the day to chill with no tension of not getting ready on time. Today I am highly sensitive due to my fever and cold and everything is irritating me! I go to do my hair and the dream team take three attempts, four different stylists and THREE hours to do my hair. It is a tight side bun with a structured side loop. I just cannot understand what is going wrong. They are sweet though especially the French stylist but with my illness I am losing the plot.

 

Meanwhile I get a message that I'm shooting an item song in Hyderabad in the morning and I spend the next hour trying to postpone the shoot because I just don't know how I'm going to be able to get up in the morning @ 5a.m. to fly out at 7a.m. Surprisingly they move it to Friday due to the Ganpathi festival. Lucky me! Ganpathi Bappa Moriya :-) Hair and make-up done, I am starving and having popped my fourth Crocin for the day I head to the Gourmet Deli to purchase some food as there is no tea or coffee or snacks for us today... strange! We arrive all made up to the tent for rehearsals and it is a scene out of a movie! WOW! Finale indeed Mr Valaya... what a scene you have dreamt up! We are surrounded by the madness of a Turkish market place with belly dancers and fruit sellers. There are shoe makers and guards and vendors! OMG there are even rope dancers dangling from the ceiling and colorful lanterns everywhere! The surroundings are blue and there are a mixture of hundreds of workmen, actors, dancers, models, the organizers and backstage crew and of course Apu our choreographer going insane on the mic! Poor Apu: how will she ever control this mad house?

 

Us models take a seat on one side and watch Apu scream instructions to the non responsive actors and workmen. A blue lantern comes crashing down from the ceiling and glass pieces fall everywhere as girls squeal. The rope performers keep us all entertained with awe and delight. I am amazed at the chaos and beauty around me and although freezing I watch with anticipation. Apu manages to create some level of order in this befitting madness of the market place and we commence! JJ has asked 10 of his male friends to walk for him for his grand finale and so they join us for the rehearsals. I'm delighted to see Nari and AD and Rahul Dev in the line up and greet them with big hugs. I'm especially happy to see Rahul as today is his brother Mukul Dev's birthday and I'm unable to see Muksy as he's in Bangalore shooting, so Rahul is the next best thing!

 

Rehearsals go well and we get ready for our finale! This event is going to be huge... you can feel it in the air!!! Backstage is absolutely manic with 94 performers plus 50 odd crew. JJ is calm and stress free, meanwhile I'm six Crocins down and sneezing like a mad person. My nose is literally dripping like a tap and I'm so, so embarrassed that I'll drip on stage or sneeze! Till the moment I go on... behind Nari in the line up... I have my head tilted back with a tissue stuffed up my nose. I am mortified! Now before I go any further and describe the show, remember how I had mentioned earlier that all models have their own little rituals during a show? Well, before I walk on stage, when I'm in the line-up, my ritual is that I always visualize every single person sitting in the audience is my guru ji or Lord Shiva... that includes the media as well. So, as I step onto the ramp after Nari, instead of giving my dripping nose any attention I concentrate on Lord Shiva and manage not to drip once... its a miracle. Well they do call me Karishma after all ;)

 

The show was beautiful and celebrity studded. Everything worked out wonderfully and JJ put on a grand affair! His collection was my personal favorite and his vision for the finale was a dream! Post the show, Marc Robinson invited us all to the celeb studded after-party at The Hyatt. Live performances, great food and fun all around. I made a 20-minute appearance and met some friends like Dilip Tahir and Fardeen Khan who said they clapped extra hard for me... so sweet... and then I snuck out home to a hot shower and bed!

 

What a week it has been! Well done to Vijay Singh and Fashion One along with Vivek Kumar-CEO of Aambey Valley for putting on a highly successful event. I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience for the second time in a row and look forward to the next! To bed :-) don't forget to follow me on twitter @KarishmaNaina