The Mijwan Welfare Society's initiative to raise funds to empower the girl child has many facets. Kaifi Azmi's dream to equip and empower the rural Indian has come a long way from when the initiative began, taken ahead by his daughter Shabana Azmi. The annual Walk of Mijwan is a fashion show that is organised by the Mijwan Welfare Society, showcasing the master craft chikankaari work on Indian textiles. Renowned designer Manish Malhotra has been showing his designs for nine years for the cause to spread awareness about the program and garner funds.
Last evening, actors Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone reunited on the ramp to give us major throwback feels. They walked down in resplendent Manish Malhotra outfits that screamed royal. While Ranbir wore a bandhgala with beautiful floral embroidery over a simple kurta-pajama, Deepika pulled yet another Deepika, leaving people speechless in an ivory and silver lehenga with bead work. Something needs to be said especially for the flared end of the skirt, the ruffled hem.
The Mijwan fashion show has pretty much always been a star-studded affair, but that doesn't come as a surprise considering it is Manish Malhotra showcasing and the organisation is spearheaded by one of Bollywood's most woke ladies, Shabana Azmi.
Last year, the show saw Shah Rukh Khan and Anushka Sharma walking the Walk Of Mijwan. Shah Rukh looked dapper in a sherwani patterned with what looked like Mughal motifs in a lattice - floral, of course. The vines embroidered at the hem added a nice touch. Anushka's lehenga brought together a skirt that could have been a standalone piece, mostly because the choli could have been way better in all honesty.
The Mijwan show in 2015 saw five pairs of Bollywood parent-child duos gracing the ramp in MM finery. Abhishek Bachchan-Jaya Bachchan, Amitabh Bachchan-Shweta Bachchan Nanda, Anil Kapoor-Sonam Kapoor, Shatrughan Sinha-Sonakshi Sinha, and Javed Akhtar-Farhan Akhtar; all legends in one frame. It was a riot of styles, colours, and fabrics with Sonam Kapoor's ivory sequinned top and Shweta's red skirt stealing the show.
The all boy's club that Mijwan 2014 brought on the ramp was by far my favourite, as a man who would want fashion for men to be just as important as it is for women. Ranbir Kapoor's exaggerated scarf and Akshay Kumar's cool yet luxe vibe raised eyebrows in the best way possible.
The latter two shows had more impact when they happened, mostly for being theme-based; for that matter, anything different that the ramp sees is received way better than the regular. But all in all, that is four years of good craftsmanship, Indian art, and Bollywood glamour all coming together for a good cause.
Can't wait for the next year.
