Like so many other girls, she would swoon at the sight of Amitabh Bachchan on screen.

Vidya Balan shows off an outfit by Subarna Ray Chaudhury

But unlike most other girls, she would one day “get a pat on her head from the man himself, while hemming his jacket”!

Life has surely changed for Calcutta girl Subarna Ray Chaudhury, now a costume designer in Bollywood biggies like Parineeta and Munnabhai Meets Mahatma Gandhi and Eklavya.

Born, brought up and educated in Calcutta, the Nava Nalanda girl started her career in the city as an executive producer with a TV channel. “Small projects as a costume designer came my way and I began juggling two parallel professions? My ex-brother-in-law Prosenjit encouraged me to get into it full-time? and here I am,” smiles Subarna, in town following the birth of son Arya.

As her assignments grew in nature and number, Subarna hit the fast track to fame. She designed for “international films” like Night Fall, BBC’s Victorian Values and German film Shadows of Time, till marriage took her to Saudi Arabia.

“I moved to Mumbai four years ago and began working with director Pradeep Sarkar. It was then that I met Amitabh Bachchan during Cadbury’s ‘Pappu paas ho gaya’ commercial shoot and later for Rin,” says Subarna, costume designer for various ad films like Horlicks and Maggi.

She managed Amitabh’s unusual look as a shopkeeper in the Cadbury ad and won his confidence enough to be able to hem his long white jacket ? while he was in it ? during the Rin ad shoot.

“He talks to me in perfect Bengali,” she gushes, revealing the star-struck girl in her.

Subarna now wants to dive completely into film costume designing and “maybe launch her own label after a year”.

If mainstream fashion designers are plunging into Bollywood, filmi designers are busy launching their own labels. “But there is a huge technical difference in the two kinds of designing,” she stresses.

According to Subarna, costume designers should not only understand details like continuity and shot break-ups, but should also work in harmony with the cameraman and art director.

“That’s where a fashion designer falls short. They are so not used to continuity concepts and production demands of a film. Top it off with their super busy schedules that prevent them from daily brainstorming and discussions with the team,” feels Subarna.

For her, a satisfying project would mean a “great period film” where she would not only get a chance to showcase her design talent, but also lend a complete look to all the characters of the film.

“A yuppie love story is not my style; anyone can go shopping in New York and Bangkok to pick up outfits for the cast. I think the true test lies in a period drama and that too, not just for one or two central characters.”

Her stint as co-designer with Raghavendra Rathore in Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Eklavya was more than satisfying. “He designed for all the male characters and gave me ideas for the female characters, briefing me about Rajasthani folk costumes in detail,” she reveals.

The results are stunning ? both Vidya Balan as Rajeshwari and Raima Sen as Nandini. She says it is very easy to design for “best friend” Vidya who is always more than keen to try new things “just for me”.

“The number of trials has gone down dramatically from the Parineeta days, three from 13. While it is an elaborate ethnic get-up for Vidya in Eklavya, Munnabhai? sees her in trendy denims and knitted shrugs,” adds Subarna.

Another star who “has just taken her breath away” is muscle man Sanjay Dutt. “He is one guy who looks outstanding in a dhoti as well as a bright linen shirt or knitted sweater.”

Winner of both the Apsara Award as well as the Zee Cine Award for costume designer in Parineeta, Subarna is now looking forward to “Dada’s (Sarkar’s) next venture post-July”.

l then, she should be busy praying for a call from Sanjay Leela Bhansali ? or better still, from Hollywood.