| | | | Nach Baliya contestants are not happy with their Bollywood designer | The set of Nach Baliye (Star One) is turning out to be a battleground of sorts — first designer and stylist Anna Singh made a hullabaloo about her "fashion philosophy clash" with the telly couples, now the actors have taken out their claws.
The women contenders on the show are complaining about the "cheap robes" they are forced to wear and "Anna's snobbish and non-cooperative attitude." The latest development
In a bid to make peace, the channel has asked the couples to opt for their own designers, which means that Anna Singh will soon be replaced. Says an actor on the grounds of anonymity, "In all probability we'll have new designers from the fourth round." Snooty designer for us
Apparently, right from the outset of the show Anna Singh would look down upon the dressing sense of the individual couples. An insider informs that she even went to the extent of taunting a few actors for their "bulky bodies."
Asserts an actor, "Just because she has done costumes for Bollywood doesn't mean that we are losers and are capable of nothing."
Adds another couple, "As television people we are always stressed for time. She never adjusts with our schedules. She'd cancel appointments if we requested her to delay it by 15 minutes. We've told the channel that we want to switch over to other designers." Poor outfits
The television couples continue to rue about the fact that they are dressed "very poorly without paying any attention to body types."
Says a choreographer, "Thursday's show had Saroj Khan complaining about our couple looking ugly in their outfits. Anna has to be blamed for this. In spite of repeatedly telling her, she turned a deaf ear."
Budget problems The actors also allege that Singh has been charging the channel a bomb, "She charges Rs 15,000 for a woman's outfit and Rs 10,000 per men in each round. The designer also refused to provide any accessory attributing it to "tight budget of the channel." But not everybody is mad at Anna.
Delnaaz Paul is almost indifferent, "Honestly, I'm just about ok with the clothes that Anna's providing me. It's true that a lot of people are not happy. But if the channel now wants to replace her, it's completely their call. As long as I get proper outfits that suit me I'm fine with any designer." My foot
Confirms another couple, "We were even asked to carry our own footwear. If we didn't approve any outfit, Anna would try to convince us by using fancy names. We've spotted her team members picking up roadside stuff and then throwing it on us saying that it's an exclusive range. This is ridiculous." Anna Singh defends the charges
Says the designer in distress, "The budgets are really tight and I'm negotiating with them to provide value for money. But I must say that there are a few troublemakers who want to wear designer branded stuff.
They must realise that television can't afford what Bollywood can. As far as roping in another designer is concerned, I've no idea. I've been doing the clothes till date and have not heard anything from the channel." sandipan.dalal@mid-day.com | 
Cricket
