Mahek Chahal talks about the line of leggings that she has launched and more
Srishti Dixit (DNA; November 29, 2014)


Tell us about Cheeky Legs!
Well, I had my own clothing line in Norway and I have worked in the business of fashion for some 10 years. I really wanted to do something with legs because it’s close to my image. This one time I was walking down a road in Mumbai and I noticed that almost every girl was wearing leggings either with a kurta or a long tee. That’s when I decided that about doing something with leggings.

So is it only meant for girls with thin legs?
Not at all! I have seen that girls wear leggings mostly to hide behind them. I want girls to wear Cheeky Legs as a complete outfit and for the leggings to stand out and not hide the legs. My line of leggings is meant for girls of all sizes, not just for skinny legs. I have strong and muscular legs myself. My leggings have these vibrant prints that stand out and the eye immediately goes to the legs. You can wear them with a long tee or a basic kurta.

With brands like ASOS or Forever 21, why would girls buy Cheeky Legs?
I guess girls are buying it because it’s affordable and anybody can wear them. From a college-going girl to celebrities and models, it is meant for every girl. It is not a big and expensive, luxury brand, but whoever wears it will feel like it’s made for them exclusively! Also, the fabrics I have used for Cheeky Legs are high on quality, even after washing them, the form and the tightness of the legging stays.

What kind of prints can we expect?
I want to experiment with different fabrics, perhaps use more hand-work on leggings, or make studded legging. I like animal prints, digital prints and Indian prints too. I would also like to put out multi-coloured leggings, venture into nature prints, or have little stars and hearts on the leggings. The possibilities are endless.

Who do you think has the best legs in Bollywood?
I guess Malaika Arora Khan, Katrina Kaif, Jacqueline Fernandez and Sonakshi Sinha have the best legs. As you can tell by the choice of names, I am a big fan of strong and muscular legs!

Given a choice, who would you rope in as a brand ambassador for Cheeky Legs?
Either Malaika or Katrina, they both have great legs!

Take your pick, leggings or hotpants?
Leggings, any day! I believe that a woman can look classy and sexy in leggings, even better than hotpants!

Mahek Chahal opens up about her failed engagement to Danish Khan who proposed to her on reality show Bigg Boss season 5
Tushar Joshi (DNA; May 2, 2014)

In 2012 on the finale night of Bigg Boss 5, Danish Khan proposed to Mahek Chahal on national television. She accepted the ring in front of her good friend and host Salman Khan. Post the show, she moved to Oslo to her family. It was then that she realised it wasn’t working out, they’d constantly argue with each other. She finally decided it was in her best interest to cancel her marriage plans and return to Mumbai for good. Here she talks about her new business venture back in Oslo, why she left Danish and her relationship with Salman.

You went into hiding post Bigg Boss. Comment.
Post Bigg Boss, I needed to spend some time with my real family and friends so off I went to Oslo, Norway. I’ve grown up there, I miss the city and my family if I stay away for too long. I began to formulate a business plan with regards to my clothing line, Mahek Chahal clothing.With help from my older sister I acquired a beautiful store in the heart of Oslo and proceeded to set-up my first clothing store. It has turned out to be quite a success and I’m extremely proud of it.

You were engaged to Danish Khan, what went wrong?
While many great experiences were taking place post Bigg Boss, my relationship with my fiancé began to deteriorate. Maintaining a relationship across continents turned out to be rather difficult. So, I returned to Mumbai and I decided to call it quits. It wasn’t an easy decision, but I had to do it to get my groove back and start a new chapter in my life. I have given that part of my life a permanent closure. I am currently loving the single life!

So have you moved to Mumbai for good?
Since the success of my clothing label and the opening of my store I was eager to get back to Mumbai, find something exciting to do. Besides, I prefer being in sunny Mumbai when it’s freezing in Norway. I’ve worked extremely hard to make a career in Bollywood and unless Bollywood moves to Oslo for good, I’ll be here. Besides, I love this city and I have loads of friends here. There are tremendous work opportunities here and I intend to make the most of them.

During the show there was a lot of speculation about you and Salman.
I want to make it quite clear that we are good friends and just like my dear friends, designer Ashley Rebello and model/entrepreneur Shamita Singha, who I turn to for a second opinion, I sometimes ask Mr Khan as well for his second opinion. His experience is invaluable.