Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; October 12, 2019)

Salman Khan is all set to bring his Chulbul Pandey avatar on screen again. This one will be directed by Prabhudeva, and recently, he shared the teaser of the film on social media. From the khaki vardi, aviator glasses to the pencil mooch, the actor is sporting it all once again as seen in the glimpses of the third installment of the franchise.

What one can’t miss is the red-yellow thread tied around his wrist. Interestingly, just like the upcoming film, the poster of Dabangg 2 had also featured Salman wearing a sacred thread around his wrist. He had also sported the same in part one of the franchise. The actor’s costume designer and good friend Ashley Rebello reveals that he got this thread from the holy destination of Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh). He said, “Back in 2010, during Dabangg, we got these sacred threads from a shop in Varanasi. People from UP (Uttar Pradesh) wear this thread around their wrist. Since Salman’s character hails from UP, we made him wear that in the film. Thankfully, we had bought hundreds of these threads from the puja shop. It’s been nearly ten years, and we are still using these threads for the franchise. Guess we were prepared for the forthcoming sequels since then (laughs!).”

Apart from the sacred thread, the team had picked up yet another accessory from Varanasi, which Salman has been sporting throughout the franchise. “It is the rudraksha mala that we got from the holy destination. The mala has orange and green beads. Salman has been wearing this around his neck through the sequels. It is also visible in the teaser,” said Ashley.

As told to Nishi Tiwari (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 26, 2019)

My first film with Salman Khan was Wanted (2008). Many tell me that I am his lucky mascot, I don’t know if that’s true, but Wanted changed the course of Salman’s career.

I’ve always believed that dressing him up is more about dressing up a personality... a star... rather than just an individual. The entire country emulates him and everyone wants to wear what he wears on Eid. So, you have to be more conscious as a stylist.

I remember making a floral, printed pathani kurta which he wore on Bigg Boss. Soon after, I went to a wedding and saw many guys wearing similar kurtas. Salman loves wearing pathanis, and looks so good in them. This year, on Eid, he wore a pathani kurta which I had picked up from a local market in Dubai. It has typical Afghan embroidery which looks a lot like Indian phulkari.

Another time on the reality show, we got a jacket by a designer called Asa and put a pair of love birds on the back. The jacket made another appearance during the screening of Bharat earlier this year, when he paired it with a pair of jeans he’d got from the US. The zip detail at the hem was added by us. While buying denims, the most important thing is the fit and Salman can just look at a pair and tell how it will fit. I am always on the lookout for young, trendy designers in India and abroad for him. Salman likes jeans by particular brands and jackets in classic leather styles. He has so many of them that there is no place in his wardrobe anymore, even though he gives a lot of them away. I recently worked with him on Bharat, which was challenging. I had done a few period films before, but not on such a massive scale be it the detailing of 1947, right from the badges, hats and shoes to the fabrics used in that period. As an actor, if Salman sees something that catches the eye, he keeps it in mind. Once, he told me that his ex-secretary used to hang his glasses on the back of his shirt. It would irritate him at the time and he would tell him, “Why do you do that? It looks stupid!” But he incorporated that quirk in Dabangg’s Chulbul Pandey and made it iconic.

Now, that he is 53 and not 23, I try to keep his fashion style a little more mature. So, for formal occasions, I give him a suit and it really looks good on him. Ditto for weddings. The suit he wore for Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas’s wedding reception earlier this year was an in-house creation. We pick up fabric, mostly Italian, from abroad for these suits.

Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 2, 2019)

Everybody’s talking about the sizzling chemistry between Salman Khan and Disha Patani in the “Slow Motion” song from the Ali Abbas Zafar directed Bharat. The actress surprisingly bears a striking resemblance to Helen and Ashley Rebello, who has designed Disha’s look, confirms that along with other actresses of the swinging ‘60s like Nanda and Asha Parekh, the club dancer from the Teesri Manzil chartbuster “O Haseena Zulfonwali” and “Mera Naam Chin Chin Chu” from Howrah Bridge was on his mind. “We borrowed a lot from these songs, from the tassles to the hair-styles. Ali was very clear her look should be sensuous and classy rather than overtly showy,” says Ashley, who also found references from Hollywood films and the Russian circus.

Disha plays a trapeze artiste in the upcoming Eid release and in a recent interview to Mirror, she had said that she enjoys doing such peppy, massy numbers. Ashley says she loved the outfit and has been sending him thank you messages for the compliments that she has been receiving.

“Disha is a pleasure to work with, the only thing she ever said is that she knows she is in the hands of professionals who know their jobs and will make her look good,” he smiles.

Was Raveena Tandon’s sunny yellow saree from Mohra’s rain-drenched “Tip Tip Barsa Paani” also a muse? “We had initially planned on a yellow and red saree but eventually settled for yellow. No, Raveena’s saree was not on my mind, This is more of a dhoti saree, contemporary with a flair of the ‘60s,” he signs off.

Dhaval Roy (DNA; October 18, 2017)

For the last seven years, Salman Khan has been celebrating Diwali with the housemates of Bigg Boss. It’s that time of the year when he ditches his blazers and suit look and celebrates in a traditional avatar.

Last season, the host wore an off-white pathani kurta with salwar and the year before that, he turned up with the Prem Ratan Dhan Payo star cast wearing a black kurta, Nehru jacket, and mustard salwar. This time, for the 11th season, his designer Ashley Rebello has decided to go earthy with his look. Says Ashley, “This year for Diwali, I will give him a rugged, smart, yet trendy, cool, and hip look.”

A KILLER LOOK
Salman’s ensemble will include long kurtas, short sherwanis with salwar much like every year, which will give him a killer look. Ashley adds, “That’s because he looks so good in Indian clothes,” he says. Unlike last year’s light colour choice, this year, Ashley will opt for darker colours for his garb. “I have browns, beiges, khakhis, militaries, blacks and similar tonal qualities in mind,” he states.

THE TRENDSETTER
Even though the sparkling festival of lights has people wearing bright colours, like Salman did with a crimson kurta with golden embroidery a few years ago, Ashley plans to stick to the darker tones this year. “I believe Salman is a trendsetter, so whatever he wears will be a trend,” he says. Since Salman has rarely gone wrong with his festival look, let’s wait for the big surprise this year!

Dhaval Roy (DNA; October 12, 2017)

If you’ve got used to seeing Salman Khan in formal blazers, weekend after weekend in Bigg Boss, then having him breaking the routine over the weekend with a casual avatar must have come as a welcome change. It’s because this year, the channel has asked his designer, Ashely Rebello, to give him formals on Saturdays and jackets and jeans on Sundays. “Luckily, people have loved what Salman wore last weekend. So, I will be giving him a one-piece suit jacket with a semi-casual stylish shirt on Saturdays and denims, T-shirts, with jackets (denim or leather) on Sundays,” says Ashley.

EXTREME REACTIONS
Ashley points out that dressing up Salman for the show for the last seven years has garnered extreme reactions. He receives flak as well as flowers. Deciding the look each year includes choosing from the current trend and colours in vogue, which often backfires. “People don’t understand that and make strange comments. This year, I haven’t received any negative remarks yet,” says he, “Last year, people liked his style, but they thought it was monotonous.”

SUITS HIM FINE
About his choice of only suits even though the vibe of the show is not quite formal, Ashley says, “It’s what the channel wants and is about dressing Salman stylishly, while maintaining his vibe. One needs to understand that he’s 52 and not 25. Jeans and jackets are not his style anymore. Suits talk about his personality,” says Ashley. The designer has also not moved away from the suits even though Salman, more often than not, takes them off mid-show. He smiles, “It still looks cool and stylish, so I suppose the channel doesn’t object either.”

A NEW LOOK EVERY YEAR
For every season of Bigg Boss, Ashley gives Salman a new look after receiving the channel’s brief that the designer has to go with, post discussions.

“In the first two years, the audiences saw him only in jeans, T-shirts, and leather jackets. So they asked me to change his style and I gave him suits, semi suits, jackets, his look from Tiger etc. Then they said give him coloured jackets; I did that, but received flak for it,” he says, alluding to maroon-red ombre, olive green, blue with bright red print jackets.

Ashley admits that it’s a challenge for him to style Salman year after year and also adds pressure on him. “There’s pressure with every film I do with him, too. For instance, people asked me why I gave him ill-fitting pants for Tubelight. I need to remind them that I had the director’s brief and he played a slow person and not Salman Khan,” says the designer.

SHRUGGING CRITICISM OFF
All the criticism Ashely receives doesn’t perturb him, though. He says, “It used to bother me when I was young. But like Salman, I have matured. I know what looks good irrespective of what anybody says. Is there anything that can’t look good on him? People say he looks good even in shorts and a gunjee.” Just like him, Salman doesn’t pay attention to criticism either. “Whenever I tell him that people haven’t liked his look, he asks me, ‘You think it looks good, na? Then why are you bothered?’” As long as Salman is not unhappy, it doesn’t affect Ashley what others have to say.

ALL THE RESTRICTIONS
“I can’t give him small checks, whites, stripes, or Houndstooth suits because they all jitter on screen. Linen fabric is ruled out because it gets crumpled and looks bad by the end of the episode. I’d love to dress him up in these and make him look cool but there are restrictions. And given that, I think I do a fantastic job,” he smiles.

NO-FUSS SALMAN
Styling Salman is never a hassle because the actor is very open to suggestions, Ashley tells us. Of course, the actor does dislike the clothes at times but it takes just about two trials before the look is finalised. At home, Salman is happiest in his shorts and T-shirts while for a casual outing, it’s denims and tees. “When it comes to formals, he wears jackets and ties only if he absolutely has to or it’s a formal shirt with trousers. He likes his pants to be well-fitting and worn out with a slight flair at the bottom. It looks nice on him because it gives him stature and makes him look taller.” Ashley also uses monochrome colours on the Bajrangi Bhaijaan actor, like black on black, grey on grey, taupe on taupe, etc. “One tonal quality looks nice on him and gives him elegance,” he says.

HIS FAVOURITES
Salman doesn’t really give Ashley inputs on style. He likes easy clothes like softer T-shirts and more relaxed fit trousers and is averse to heavy embroidery, or prints or too much textured fabric. “He likes everything simple and nice,” says Ashley. The actor has a special fondness for black, midnight blue and military green colours and has a great passion for shoes. Even though he’s not fussy, you won’t often catch him in pinks and light purples. Ashley says, “I try when I want him to wear something different but he gives me that look and says no,” he laughs, “Times like those, sometimes he wins and sometimes I do.” From all the looks that Ashley has designed for him, Salman complimented him for the tight-fitting uniform in Dabangg that became a rage and his look for Tiger Zinda Hai the most.

Upala KBR (DNA; March 9, 2017)

Salman Khan's hotly anticipated film, Ali Abbas Zafar’s Tiger Zinda Hai, begins shooting from March 15 in Austria. But he hits the Zee Cine Awards stage four days earlier on March 11.

Salman will dance to his own medley of hits, including his recent chartbusters Baby Ko Bass Pasand Hai (Sultan) and Jumme Ki Raat Hai (Kick) and will make a stylised entry “in a blaze of glory,” says a source.

His act has been choreographed by Shiamak Davar.

Ashley Rebello, who is styling Salman for the ZCA, adds, “I don’t like to dress him frivolously as all the youngsters follow him. For the show, he is wearing a black, sequinned jacket with a little bit of leather trimming, a black shirt and a pair of trousers. For the red carpet, he’s wearing a midnight blue chequered shirt, with a white or black jacket.”

A star will have airs, make unreasonable demands and throw tantrums. But not everybody is like that
Lisa Antao (DNA; December 11, 2016)

Stardom comes with some accepted truths. A star will have airs, make unreasonable demands and throw tantrums. But not everybody is like that.

In fact, most recently, Orange Is The New Black star (and a successful DJ) Ruby Rose admitted to washing her own lingerie as she finds hotel laundry charges expensive. This, despite her not being in dire financial straits at all. Completely the opposite, in fact.

Here’s another example. Hollywood hottie and megastar Leonardo DiCaprio (we all know who he is!) doesn’t own a fleet of cars (like some Bollywood actors or a few rappers we know). He owns just one. A humble Toyota Prius.

Wanna know who the frugal Bollywood actors are here? Read on...

DEEPIKA PADUKONE

Says who: A studio executive

WHY: “On some of her previous outdoor shoots, the crew members would have their meals together with Deepika. After we were done eating, we’d leave our plates and cutlery on the table and leave. But Deepika would clear up the mess and clean the table by getting rid of plates and cutlery. She has no airs and is nothing like a diva,” says a studio excecutive.

AISHWARYA RAI BACHCHAN

Says who: Publicist Archana Sadanand, Founder-Imagesmiths

WHY: “Whether it’s for an event or a live performance or for a brand endorsement, agencies ask for what kind of car she would like to be chauffeured in, what particular things she wants to be there in her hotel room, etc. but Ash has never made any demands asking for a particular car or particular things in her room. Also, her entourage is minimal, there’s no fleet of followers. Sometimes, she doesn’t take bodyguards along.” The publicist also recalls how Aishwarya is very hands-on and gets involved in production work and gives suggestions to prevent costing to go overboard. When she’s abroad for shoots, she doesn’t have any demands for fancy food. Another thing, Mrs Bachchan Jr looks after her staff well and is even attentive to valet parking personnel. “She’s been in the industry long enough and is still grounded and I believe it’s because of the family values that she’s imbibed from her parents,” says Sadanand.

ARJUN KAPOOR

Says who: Amul Vikas Mohan (Trade analyst; Editor - Super Cinema)

WHY: He wonders if he’ll ‘get killed’ for sharing this, but does it anyway. “While shooting for Half Girlfriend in the city, one day Arjun called for South Indian grub from Muthuswamy Caterers for the entire unit and ensured that everyone on the sets was well-fed, be it the technicians or the spot boys. This was a sweet gesture that makes a lasting impression on the crew,” recounts Amul.

SALMAN KHAN

Says who: Stylist Ashley Rebello

WHY: “Because Salman digs regular food. When shooting in small towns, he readily eats and relishes the local cuisine along with his dal chawal or chicken. No fancy-sounding food for him. Also, he cycles to his sets in Film City every other day. And not just for exercise, either! He finds it to be the fastest mode of transport. In fact, he made a few rickshaw drivers happy by hailing rides from them if his car would take too long to arrive.”

ABHISHEK BACHCHAN

Says who: His friend Amul Vikas Mohan (Trade analyst and Editor— Super Cinema)

WHY: The two bond over their common love for the Premier League football team, Chelsea. Amul narrates an anecdote to show how thoughtful Bachchan Jr can be. He says, “When my marriage was fixed, I spoke to him about it. Abhishek somehow managed to get gajak (a sweet popular in North India) to celebrate the news of my marriage, since I’m from North India where it is customary to have gajak on festive or good occasions. It was a very touching gesture on his part.”

He adds, “Abhishek studied abroad when he was younger, and he did his own laundry, cooked his own food. He has no airs about being the son of a superstar and that’s how he connects with people. He likes to cook and makes a mean peeli dal,” vouches Amul.

FARAH KHAN

Is just like us. A little birdie tells us that choreographer and director Farah Khan who lives in Lokhandwala, goes to the fish market to buy fish. Like us ordinary folk.

Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 18, 2016)

For Kabir Khan’s upcoming period drama Tubelight, Salman Khan has not just travelled all the way up to Ladakh and Manali but has also travelled back in time to the 1960s. And to make sure he fits into the decade perfectly, his favourite designer Ashley Rebello has got Bhai a pile of sweaters knitted by hand.

“Back then there were no machine made sweaters, so we got Salman’s sweaters hand woven by some old ladies, picking up the wool from Kashmir and nearby places up North. Getting the look right was tedious but fulfilling, the idea is to keep things as authentic as possible,” says Ashley, pointing out that keeping in mind the kind of cinema the actor is doing at the moment, as opposed to his earlier out-and-out entertainers, he is trying to ensure that his off screen look too is a little more “serious and intellectual”.

The duo have been working together for nine years, and it’s a give and take relationship with Ashley also experimenting with Sallu’s Bigg Boss look. “This season is all about celebs and the aam aadmi and the challenge for me is how to bridge that gap. So instead of giving him suits, I’ve got him some interesting jackets. Every time he takes off his jacket, he becomes a common man in a matching shirt and trousers. The jacket turns him into a stylish celeb,” informs Ashley who collaborates with his sister, Alvira Khan Agnihotri, who is clued into Salman likes and dislikes.

So what does he dislike? “Synthetic fabrics, he prefers natural fabrics with an earthy feel. Last week, I gave him military green and this week I’ll give him a red-and-grey checkered outfit. We are experimenting with colours, something we haven’t done in the past,” he asserts.

Ashley Rebello (DNA; August 12, 2015)


I know we all look up to our dads as our hero and I do know for a fact that the Khan kids do respect their dad a lot and stand up when he enters a room out of veneration for what he is — a father, a visionary and a man who has a way with words. And he’s sharp and dynamic and has a great sense of humour. I am dead sure that’s where Salman gets those genes from.

I also remember Sonakshi Sinha on the sets of Dabangg. Her mom would accompany her on the shoots, but every time she had to look sexy or sensuous, all she’d say was, “My dad is going to kill me, ‘cause he is my hero and I can’t let him down.” She would always look up to him for guidance and support. And I guess she did make him proud with her success. So, life teaches us a thing or two. Direction and reassurance is all that we look for in our hero.

And that’s why even when the leggy Athiya Shetty decided to enter the world of Bollywood, her dad put all his faith in Salman to launch her. I guess when he saw the film’s first look, he had a tear in his eye — seeing his little baby girl all grown up. And when Sooraj cried at the trailer launch, Salman said, “Here is Sooraj, my heroine and here’s my hero, Athiya. I do hope they will make their heroes proud.”

I was too young to know my dad; he passed away when I was only 10. So, I always looked up to my mum as my hero. She gave me the liberty and the choice to choose a career in design and said, “Start small, but think big”. Today, I thank her for all the faith and trust she had in me. That’s what made me what I am today.” So, like me, others, too, undoubtedly look up to their mothers as their heroes.

BOMBAY TIMES (November 5, 2014)