Manish Malhotra — designer, stylist and buddy to almost every big name in Bollywood — is now at a new stage in his illustrious career. With his company Stage5 Production, Manish makes his debut as producer. The cheekily titled Saali Mohabbat, that also marks actress Tisca Chopra’s directorial debut, had its grand premiere at the ongoing 55th Indian International Film Festival of India (IFFI).

Manish, sharp in a white suit, was present at the premiere with Tisca and actor Divyenndu, who stars in the film along with Radhika Apte, Anurag Kashyap and Tollywood’s Sauraseni Maitra. Right after the IFFI premiere of Saali Mohabbat, t2 caught up with Manish in Goa.

You are accustomed to travelling to fashion runways across the world. How does it feel to come to a film festival and that too as a debut producer?

It feels very exciting. I am very happy. I am at a film festival in India, in Goa, one of my favourite cities. To premiere my first production in India at an Indian film festival feels great.

It has been my dream for years to back good storytellers. A lot of big names — I am not saying that I am a big name but maybe a popular name — generally tend to support only bigger projects. But I wanted to take this step and support a lot of stories that maybe the big people won’t, and give it those eyeballs with the support of my name. I am just going by my vision.

What made you want to back Saali Mohabbat as your debut production?

I heard the script of Saali Mohabbat, written by Sanjay Chopra and Tisca (Chopra, who makes her directorial debut with this film). The narration got over and I said: ‘I am making this film!’ It is a film very close to the soil. It is about plantations, it is about humans and humanity. It is a project beyond beauty. It is about inner beauty, inner strength. I am all for inner strength. I also wanted to back this film because I felt it would be very unexpected coming from me.

I want to put it out there that Stage5 Production is different from my career of a designer, stylist and a mainstream couture creator. This is another aspect of me. So it is not that we will be making content focusing only on fashion or glamour. We are going to make different content. From a play to a documentary to a regional language film... I want to support everything which resonates with me.

I am here to promote art, I am here to make a mark as a person who can make a difference to storytellers, push them to put their work out there and completely support them by collaborating with them and also by supporting them in a way that they are involved in costume, art, direction music, casting....

Did the script come to you with the title?

No, we found the title later. The original title was ‘Train from Chandola’. I thought Saali Mohabbat would be a more intriguing title.

What did Tisca bring to the film as a first-time director?

When she narrated the script to me, I found it to be so meticulously written. She wanted to direct it and I told myself that I must support them.

What took you so long to turn producer? It is a dream you have had for years...

I was very busy and though it was on my mind for many years, I just couldn’t make time for it. Till Covid happened and all of us, the world over, got time to sit back and introspect. I told myself then: ‘I have to make time for this, come what may!’ I worked extra hours. I anyway end up working 18 hours a day...

Eighteen hours a day?!

Yes, sometimes. But 12-14 for sure on other days.

How does that work for you? Or is your work-life balance taken care of because you anyway have fun doing what you do?

(Laughs) I love to work, I love to create... whether it is a garment, a piece of jewellery, a photograph or a movie. If you ask me to set up this room, I will have fun because it is about creating and designing. But I also have a tendency to be restless and before I know it, I am onto my next job.

Why the name Stage5 Production?

As you know, I started my career as a model. Then I got into costumes and styling, which was stage 2. Then came couture... the label, which was stage 3. Jewellery was stage 4 and now movies is stage 5. All of this defines me. The logo of Stage5 (Production), if you notice, is threads in a movie reel.

And what is ‘stage 6’ looking like?

I am looking at stage 5 for some time (smiles).

You said you want to support meaningful storytelling. What if a mainstream, commercial film comes to you which needs...

Glamour? I will definitely do it! No two ways about it.

What is the status of your directorial debut?

That is again a dream that I have been living with for a year. Let’s see...

You have always said that movies have had an impact on you right from childhood. Making one would bring it full circle...

I am a born movie buff. My mother says that at the age of six, I would be dancing to every song. I would be cutting up saris. I even told my tuition teacher that her shoes didn’t match her clothes! (Laughs) She told my mother: ‘Mrs Malhotra, your son is more interested in my shoes than in his studies!’ I was in Class I then.

I was always interested in songs and movies and my mother encouraged me to watch them. The other day, I actually asked her: ‘How come you never stopped me from watching so many movies?’ She said: ‘You never troubled me as a child. Your demand was nothing else but to send you to a movie. So why would I stop you? Ab toh woh rang laya na?’ (Smiles).

Is there an early film that remains a vivid part of your childhood memories?

The entire ’70s... the clothes, the music, the songs, watching all those beautiful- looking actors and actresses, such personalities. In fact, when I am very tired even now, my go-to thing is watching ’70s songs.

That is a beautiful period in cinema, music and fashion... glam, dreamy, quirky and hippie... I love it! Everything of the ’70s can’t be compared to any other time in pop-culture.