The Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Michael Jordan?s flexi-space restaurant in New York, America?s largest retail complex, Meadowlands Xanadu in New Jersey, the film sets for Dirty Rotten Scoundrels ? and now, retail and entertainment space in Calcutta.

The New York-based Rockwell Group is set to rock the city with its unique ?storytelling style?. Pantaloon Retail (India) Ltd has tied up with the US design and architecture major for its upcoming Central in south Calcutta, as well as another 300,000-sq-ft-plus mall that will be independent of the Pantaloons brand.

?We have associated with Rockwell for contemporary design inputs to enhance the consumer experience at the 17-odd malls we will be launching pan-India over the next two years, funded by Kshitij,? Shishir Baijal, joint managing director, PFH Investment Advisory Co Ltd, told Metro.

The company advising the Kshitij venture capital fund is a partnership between Pantaloon Retail (India) Ltd and the Dalmia group.

A three-member Rockwell team is on a reconnoitre tour of the country. It studied the city?s retail racks on Tuesday, meeting some prominent players in the industry as well. ?At this point, they are here primarily to understand the way Indian consumers shop, eat and celebrate, so that our malls can emote local sentiments,? said Kishore Biyani, managing director, Pantaloon Retail.

?Our style of articulating a brand through storytelling is an entirely new concept. We use architecture as the DNA to grow the brand, delving deep into our scenic design competence, since architecture and movies have such a wonderful chemistry,? said Mark Patricof, president and CEO of the Rockwell Group.

?In Calcutta, too, we will spend time to study local habits and traditions, because we don?t want the projects here to be conceived in New York. There has to be a strong vernacular context and the shopping and entertainment spaces will be created with the heart and soul of this city,? stressed Patricof.

For Diego Gronda, studio principal and the group head for Europe, it?s all about understanding the ?method in the madness here? and ?harnessing the chaos to create positive energy in retail and entertainment?.

The new mall in Calcutta, funded by Kshitij and designed by Rockwell, will ?enable ordinary people to buy what only the rich could afford?, promised Biyani.