A peek at Lisa's trousseau
Indian-Canadian actress Lisa Ray will wear a Wendell Rodricks-designed gown for her wedding with banking executive Jason Dehni and will later change into a Satya Paul sari.
"My wedding gown is a present from one of my oldest, dearest friends (Rodricks), and is the perfect embodiment of my spirit in fabric and form. After the ceremony, I will change into a gorgeous, custom-designed Satya Paul sari. I don't want to reveal more, but I am blessed," says Lisa, a survivor of multiple myeloma, a rare cancer of the bone marrow.
The wedding is on October 20, and Rodricks adds that the couple is soon leaving for Napa Valley for the wedding. Wendell will miss the celebration because of his work commitments, but says that the gown that he has designed epitomises dream and
romance.
"I fitted her out and did the trials two months ago in my studio in our village Colvale, Goa. Lisa stayed with me for three days, during which time we ensured a perfect fit," Wendell says.
"I do not want to reveal details about the dress, except that it is a dreamy, romantic wedding gown that has touched a chord with Lisa. On her wedding day, we want her to be a radiant bride. This dress is very special for me as it is for a brave friend who deserves every happiness in the world," he adds.
Wendell says that he regrets that he won't be there to see her.
"My big regret is that due to two fashion tours that end only on November 3, I cannot be at the wedding in California. But my prayers and soul will be with Lisa,
who will be not just a beautiful bride but an inspirational icon that will gladden many hearts — especially Jason's," he smiles.
Lisa will wear a Satya Paul off-white georgette sari, highlighted with beige and traditional gota patti work blending with shaded sequins on the border. The sari is teamed up with a stylish blouse made of net, also embellished with brocade and gotta patti on the back and sleeves.
All for a cause
Sonam Kapoor has always been known as a fashionista extraordinaire — which is why
it's not surprising that the actress has taken up a cause related to her passion.
Apparently, Sonam is on a new mission: she wants to help Banarasi sari weavers and make sure that they get their due. She was in the city for a 45-day shooting schedule for her upcoming film Raanjhnaa — along with Southern star Dhanush of Why This Kolaveri Di fame — when she realised the plight of these weavers.
She was roaming around in the city when she came across some hand-woven saris, but was disappointed to see the poor condition of the weavers.
After returning to Mumbai, Sonam has decided to ask her designer friends to use Banaras weavers' designs in their creations and lure the youth towards this centuries-old rich heritage.
The 27-year-old is all set to meet suppliers and designers to discuss steps that can be taken to spread awareness about the Banarasi weaves.
The actress herself has been seen in beautiful saris in the past.
Old face in Bollywood
It isn't easy to make a name for yourself in tinsel town — but it's even tougher to keep it for more than a short stint. But somehow, actor Aftab Shivdasani has managed to do just that.
The actor, who debuted with the film Mast, has completed a whopping 13 years in the industry and is losing no opportunity to let the whole world know about this.
"My first film Mast released today Oct 15, 1999... My 13th b'day here, so blessed to be part of this world, thank you Mr. Ram Gopal Varma (sic)," tweets Aftab.
In his acting career, he has featured in movies like Awara Paagal Deewana, Darna Mana Hai, Masti
and Aloo Chat. Much before his debut in Mast, he was seen as a child actor in 'Mr India', Shahenshah and ChaalBaaz.
Many hats for John
Actor-turned-producer John Abraham, a half-Malayali, is planning to rope in Malayalam superstar Mohanlal in his next film Jaffna.
"We are also looking at regional films. I am producing a Marathi film. Definitely, I would love to produce a Malayalam film. We have one of the best actors in our country there — a gentleman called Mohanlal. There is so much to learn from him," says John, who turned producer with the Ayushman Khurrana-starrer 'Vicky Donor'.
"I hope he has a role in Jaffna. We are planning to do it together," adds the actor, who will co-produce the film. To be directed by Shoojit Sircar, Jaffna is an off-beat political thriller about Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam's (LTTE) activities in Sri Lanka before it was decimated by the Sri Lankan Army in 2009.
After tasting success as a producer, does John plan to write scripts? "I don't
know about writing, but maybe I will think of direction at some point of time," he notes.