Manish Malhotra unveils his designs at IFFI fashion show

Panaji, Dec 2 (IANS) The king of glitz and glamour, designer Manish Malhotra, unveiled his new collection inspired by the Bollywood fashion of last few decades in a show held at the 38th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) here.

The ace designer, who showcased his sari collection, said he loves being a part of anything related to cinema.

'Anything related to cinema and I am always there. I am showing five saris here which are very pretty, and these can be used in films and as a fashion statement off the screen,' said Manish.

The Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG) and the event management company Cine Excellency organised the show as a part of the ongoing cultural activities of the IFFI.

Although IFFI has sidelined Bollywood this year, the stars are off and on visiting the venue. Commenting on that, Manish said, 'That just means Bollywood can never stay away.'

Apart from showcasing his saris, Manish also received Excellence Award Saturday for his contribution to the Indian Cinema.

'It is always an honour to get an ward. No matter how many you get, your are never tired of awards,' he said.

Along with Manish, Pooja Chitkopikar, Femina Miss India Earth 07, was honoured for her achievement on the international arena. Last month she won the title of Miss Earth Air 2007 in Manila. Also, two male models Shawar Ali and Zulfi Sayed were honoured with awards for being the best in the business.

Recently, Farah Khan revived the Bollywood of the '70s in her film 'Om Shanti Om' and something similar was represented at the fashion show here.

Titled 'Cinema on the Ramp', the collection was inspired by a different era of Bollywood and by stars like Helen, Raj Kapoor, Nargis, Dev Anand, Shammi Kapoor, Rajesh Khanna, Mumtaz, Amitabh Bachchan, Zeenat Aman, Shah Rukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai.

Models walked the ramp wearing clothes that revived the fashion of Hindi films from the '50s till now.

The event, which was scheduled to start at 7.30 p.m., was delayed by good two hours as the models arrived late.

However, anything from Bollywood excites the Goans and they waited patiently while the local bands entertained them. Held at the NIWS Ground, Caraanzalem, it was a success. The place was bustling with the spectators.