As told to Ankita Chaurasia (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 2, 2019)

It started with a photoshoot...
Styling Ranveer Singh is as fun as it looks. Our association began when I styled him for a Filmfare shoot by Rohan Sreshtha, around all his haunts in Bandra. The three of us enjoyed it so much that I went on to style him for a personal shoot. From these interactions, Ranveer felt we had similar tastes when it came to fashion and signed me on as his stylist. It is the absolute dream job. Not only does he have a great sense of fashion but also the physique and swagger to make everything he wears look good. Every job comes with a responsibility and I take complete ownership of what Ranveer wears. I never let him walk out wearing something I am not a 100 per cent sure of. At the same time, he never wears something just because I want him to.

From the street to the star
Ranveer has never given me a brief. I pick clothes according to the event that he is attending. When he arrives, I offer him a choice of four-five different looks and explain the thought behind them. He chooses the one that he likes the most and we go with that. Every look has a statement piece that stands out and irrespective of which one he goes with, that invariably gets noticed.

I pick stuff which I feel most closely resembles his style, often from the streets on a whim. I remember these crazy pyjamas that I bought from Colaba Causeway, he made them all the rage. The next day, I was getting calls asking me which designer he had been wearing. On my travels, I hoard rings, bracelets and chains that elevate any look, making it seem well put together.

He chooses his own clothes for casual outings, and strangely, they are almost always what I would pick up if I were styling him. Because I have been working with him for so long, I guess we are on the same wavelength. It’s a good match.


That’s a perfect match!
A wedding is a very personal event and Ranveer wanted to work with designers he is close to and also complement Deepika’s (Padukone, wife) looks. We worked in tandem to create a mix of both their sensibilities. I also dressed Ranveer’s family for the different events.

Yes, Deepika’s fashion sensibilities have changed post marriage but that’s understandable. When you marry someone and live with them, some bits of them should rub off on you. If they don’t, you are doing something wrong. But if Deepika has started experimenting more, Ranveer has also started going for elegant looks. When they make appearances together, they sometimes go all out with whacky clothes and at other times, keep it classy. The idea is to make a statement together.

Trolls, who?
Both Ranveer and I don’t care about trolls. We don’t read memes. If people are talking about us, it means that we are doing something noteworthy. That’s what fashion is all about. It should start conversations, even debates. What’s the point otherwise?

Gen-Bender
Ranveer has no mental blocks. He is open to all silhouettes and colours. For us, it is not so much about breaking stereotypes but about having fun.

Who decided that men can’t wear pink? Ranveer not only wears it but makes it look hot. I’m lucky to work with someone who is open to everything. It’s liberating to work without boundaries.


DON RETURNS: At the cricket World Cup, we went with a customised suit, with an overcoat and scarf. This was old-world mafioso style with wide-cut silhouettes and vintage plaids. The quirky glares were Ranveer’s touch


WILD CATS: We chose this luxurious pink cheetahprint tux for the prestigious Berlinale. Perfect for turning heads


ON A TUNE: We went with this look for its distinctive colour and cut. Obviously, having Jimi Hendrix on it made it all the m edgy. Ranveer paired it black-and-white glare


BESPOKE-PERSON: This faux fur custom-made jacket created such a buzz! Also, it went perfectly with the film’s promotions

Tushar Joshi (DNA; October 4, 2014)


A lot of thought and work goes into his looks. A little-known fact is that Ranveer’s camera and phone are full of looks he constantly works on. He experiments with make-up, hair styles, expressions (think Jim Carrey) and fashion. One of these looks was used for his cameo in Finding Fanny.

Ranveer admits, “For doing look tests, I have a space set up in my house. There is so much work happening... ads and shoots and other commitments apart from shooting, it is not always possible to work on a new look at the last moment. So I created a space where there’s a mirror and everything set up, where I can do this on my own time. I work with Natasha, my stylist, and full credit to her, that people in fashion circles have noticed me and have started saying good things about me. She is superb with her work. Basically, I get excited and want to wear weird stuff and she reins me in and says, ‘Don’t wear this and don’t wear that!’”

While he stands apart from all actors when it comes to dressing, because he is constantly pushing the envelope, he draws criticism as well. He shrugs, “Recently, I went out wearing an outfit and someone said it looked like a rainbow threw up on me (laughs). My style statement depends on my mood, today I am in a monotone. Whatever I am feeling, comes out in every way. Through my words, my thoughts and my dressing. I am an expressive person and what I wear is just an extension of that. I think, in social interaction — especially as men in a patriarchal country like India — we are conditioned to not get emotional. If you are sensitive, it’s seen as a sign of weakness. But as a contemporary actor, that definition is different for me. If I am feeling something, it is very difficult for me to hide it, I feel a lot and am honest about whatever is going on in my life, and my clothes are just another facet of my personality.”

Sonali Joshi Pitale (MID-DAY; January 30, 2014)

With the multi-starrer Gunday now gearing for release, the effervescent Ranveer Singh is in a chatty mood.
And while he is happy to field questions about his work, he has nothing to say about his ‘ alleged relationship’ with actress Deepika Padukone.HitList catches up with the actor.

You are part of Gunday, a two-hero film. Aren’t you worried about the co-actors stealing the limelight? 
Liking an actor is subjective; but yes, I want people to remember both of us. One needn’t be concerned about these things.

Are you upset about not winning any awards for your work in Lootera and Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-leela? 
I am happy with 2013. I agree with Sonakshi’s (Sinha) disappointment over Lootera not any getting any nominations; that film hasn’t got its due. I am not talking here about my performance . The art director, the music composer, the cinematographer and the director should have got awards as it was a technically superior film. In case of Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-leela, Deepika ( Padukone) deserves to win awards this season.

A lot of leading actors are turning producers or directors these days. Do you plan to venture into something new?
I cannot do dhandebaazi, so I cannot be a producer. I do want to look into the creative aspects of filmmaking. Right now I am busy with acting but few years down the line I want to write film scripts, compose music and direct films. I have three ideas in mind and have already narrated them to filmmakers Maneesh Sharma, Shaad Ali and Adi sir (Aditya Chopra) and they seem to be confident about it.

You have no inhibition about expressing your feelings. Does that get you into trouble?
I am honest and expressive, but no one knows the real me. People ask me to pipe down but I cannot change that; I will go mad if I am pretending to be someone I am not. What matters is that I don’t offend anyone. Of course, people now know that I am prone to doing crazy stuff. Besides, I am not in an important relationship that I need to be worried about.

Your fashion sense has come under criticism...
I wear what I want to wear irrespective of what people like or dislike. Also, I get easily bored with suits in black, gray, blue and white. Thanks to my stylist, I am more aware about fashion. Now that I have money of my own, I can shop for myself; earlier, I’d just wear what my mother or sister would buy me.