When you design for Karan Johar, where the script is so clear, he knows when and what he wants to tell and how he wants to tell… The path is clear, the characters are well-etched. What remains to be seen is who brings what to the table…” begins Manish Malhotra, costume director of Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, a film that is sunning itself in its first-week glory.

The designer has a reason to bask in his own glory, too, “glad that the KANK look has worked”. Glad to open his flagship store in Dubai and glad to do the finale of the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week in Delhi next month, Manish admits he has “never been happier”.

So how was it, designing for so many sexy stars for KANK? “A different ballgame, very different from the short denim skirt and bra top look,” he says, hoping that KANK sets the fashion mood for the next season — “very classic, very stylish”.

“I think we had too much of the in-your-face sexy, hip-hop look. KANK is a bold film and the characters aren’t dancing in college anymore. The well etched-out characters’ looks had to establish them further,” says Manish.

From mad moments when he was shouting at Rani and Preity to show “more cleavage, please” to last-minute location changes to unfinished costumes to last-minute shopping and as a result being recognised as a “shopper” in New York, Manish had a crazy schedule.

He talks to GoodLife about the five leading looks.

Shah Rukh Khan

Real yet glamorous is how Manish likes to describe King Khan’s look. “Shah Rukh’s state of mind in the film is basically bitter and his grunge, distressed look reflects just that. Thrown in between are lots of sporty elements given his professional background,” he adds.

Just in case SRK’s look is thought of as boring, Manish reminds us of the embroidered red rose on the back of the black jacket in some sequences.

Haute highlights

• The colour palette is very masculine — lots of blacks, browns — with streaks of gold and silver.

• The look is layered. A jacket-tee-tracks combo seen most often.

• Lots of prints-on-prints and emblems.

• A single textured brown bag all through the film because “guys don’t change their bags everyday”.

Manish’s pick

“His look in Mitwa is mind-blowing.”

Amitabh Bachchan

Everyone knows about his flamboyant character Sexy Sam and that he always manages to carry off everything he wears with such panache and style. But AB Senior’s size 54 (till 50 was “available”) was “impossible” to find in any shop. “We even had to buy white leather pants to extend the shoulders of his white jacket,” says Manish.

Haute highlights

• His collection of glasses was eye-catching. “Karan wanted glasses and we couldn’t decide on one, so we decided to go with a whole range, just for fun and variety,” adds Manish.

• Mostly black suits with a dash of vibrancy in the form of shocking shirts in pink or red.

• Lots of fur detailing around the jacket collars.

Manish’s pick

“The black velvet suit I got made in Mumbai for Rock--roll soniye is my favourite.”

Abhishek Bachchan

“He’s a media guy, an event person, so typical New York suits wouldn’t be his style. His approach had to be casual, yet formal, and above all, his personality was sober, so nothing over-the-top for him,” says Manish.

Haute highlights

“New York isn’t about coloured suits. So his look was more on the lines of black and charcoal.”

• Lots of detailing under the collars.

• His hottest statement: blue jeans-white shirt-black blazer combo.

• Some shirts were in happy colours and striped. Some in schemes of pink and purple while others in green and blue.

Manish’s pick

The black suit from Rock--roll soniye again.

Rani Mukherjee

“Rani’s character in the film is obsessed with cleanliness and her outfits needed to reflect that too. Hence the structured, minimal look, very fuss-free,” says Manish.

Haute highlights

• Lots of skirts that were fitted near the hips and waist and flared gradually. “Not mermaid cut and not tent-like, the silhouette was fitted.”

• The skirts were paired with fitted knits, many of them V-necked.

• Lots of corsets were seen, too, because “corsets and skirts are the sexiest combination”. Also, Manish feels that non-boned corsets complement Rani and have the capacity to lend a “slimming effect to anyone’s stomach and waistline”.

• They “played” with earrings and some song sequences also saw her in beads around her neck, “just to look more exotic”.

• Her chiffon or net saris were “romantic” and they were paired with velvet blouses and halters. Some shaded, some lace and other sequinned, Karan wanted a touch of black in all, something that Manish feels brings about a “certain softness and femininity.”

Manish’s pick

“A rust lehnga for Kajol in KKHH, Kareena’s pink in K3G and a powder-blue and skin for Preity in KHNH… We didn’t know what to do with Rani’s bridal lehnga in KANK so it was back to traditional red and gold with a dash of green. Anyway, red and gold are the fall-winter colours for the season. I also loved her saris in the film.”

Preity Zinta

“She’s playing a fashion editor and so her look had to be very individualistic and with it. Nothing she wore could look off-the-shelf. Like, we teamed her green dress with boots instead of strappy sandals. Everything about her was glam, be it her night-clothes or even her track pants or bags.”

Haute highlights

• Her outfits had “surprise co-ordinates”, not at all “typical”.

• Lots of short skirts and also some fitted gowns.

• The colours were both bright, gold and skin tone was used liberally.

• She was seen in many New York, Soho style vintage jackets.

• Up-to-date accessories like the long maalas.

• Tongs were used to give her hair a feminine lift.

Manish’s picK

“I love her fuchsia and gold look in Where’s the party tonight. So sexy, so glam, so Preity!”