Sonam to perform at IIFA

Project: Kapoor

Depala will be dressing Kapoor in her tasteful creations for the upcoming International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards in June in Macau. In an exclusive interview with tabloid!, Depala says the Delhi 6 star and daughter of Anil Kapoor was a perfect find.

"I am very choosy about the celebrities I work with. And Sonam is not just beautiful, but carries herself with such grace and style. She is fresh, she is successful, beautiful and has a long way to go. Her personal style is very appealing too."

A white Grecian chiffon floor-length gown fitted with gold gota (gold foil leaf work) on the bodice is being made for Kapoor's big night. "It's a tube style. I chose the gota work because I wanted to add an ethnic touch.

"Many a times, I have seen Bollywood stars looking ravishing in a Dior or Chanel. But I wanted my gown to appeal to both Western and eastern sensibilities. Why should we run away from an Indian twist?" Depala asks.

The Depala-Kapoor collaboration does not end with the IIFA Awards red carpet outing. Depala, who is patronised by the likes of former supermodel Yasmin Le Bon, has gone a step further. Very soon, Depala will begin work on her first Bollywood movie, titled Ayesha. She will be designing the bulk of the costumes for Sonam Kapoor's on-screen character, also called Ayesha.

"Yes, it is my first Bollywood venture. Here, again, I identified with Sonam's role in the film. The character is a lot like me in real life. She has around 70 looks in the film," says Depala.

In many ways, Depala has struck gold with her first Bollywood tryst, since Ayesha is generating a lot of pre-production buzz. The movie, loosely based on Jane Austen's classic Emma, is even touted as Anil Kapoor's younger daughter Rhea's maiden directorial venture.

"I will be designing both Indian and Western pieces. During my last visit to Mumbai, we discussed the various looks. It's going really well," says Depala.

Yay or nay on the red carpet

The International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards weekend is just around the corner. Ayesha Depala gives judgement on the gowns worn by celebrities on the IIFA red carpet in the last few years.

1 Bipasha Basu: She has a sex symbol tag attached to her and I don't think she needs to try this hard. A red cutaway dress with the sexy curls and strong make-up screams OTT.

3 Kangana Ranaut: She doesn't look red carpet ready here. She is a brilliant actress and chooses roles that are out of the box. I wish she would apply the same rules to her choice of outfits.

DID YOU KNOW?

Anil Kapoor is surprisingly sharp when it comes to sizing up his daughter's sartorial tastes. If designer Ayesha Depala's brief association with the Slumdog Millionaire star is anything to go by, he was surprisingly forthright with his daughter Sonam. "He is frank and is unlike most fathers who tend to pamper their children. I met him briefly, but it was interesting to see him give his frank opinion on the clothes that looked good and the ones which didn't," says Depala.

YAY! Now I have a reason to watch IIFA. 😳

Masakali song is for SURE! cant wait to see it! 😃