"I owe my success to Jackie Shroff and Pooja Bhatt" - Anna Singh 
By Satish Sundaresan, September 5, 2008 - 17:17 IST
It's said that 'Behind every successful man, there is a woman. But, in Bollywood, the case is 'Behind every successful hero and heroine, there is just one woman' and the name is that of Anna Singh, the lady who is all set to open her proprietorship design store in Bandra today.
Bollywood Hungama caught up with the lady for an in-depth interview. Presented here are some excerpts:
You are all set to open a proprietorship design store today. What's' it all about?
It's a signature designer store, whereby one can feast themselves with 17 different collection lines for women with its fabrics being got from countries like Italy and France. This time the emphasis is majorly on women. Besides that, we also have a funky collection of men's shirts,
Evening cocktail dresses, sarees, jeweled kurtis, also some really beautiful handmade Swarovski crafted clutches.
It's a signature designer store, whereby one can feast themselves with 17 different collection lines for women
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Who are the stars who are planning to grace the event?
There's Kajol who will be inaugurating the store. Besides her, the list is plenty with names of all the crème-de-la-crème of the society who have confirmed their presence.
Who all have 'contributed' in the designing of the store?
There's Ayesha Shroff who has done the interiors. Then, there's Suzanne Roshan, was to do the store before, but could not do it because of her baby. But, she has given some real good consultation. Dimple Kapadia has done some really nice candles. Moreover, I have got some lovely carpets from Egypt. All this and more gives the store a very personalized feel.
Are there plans to open more such stores?
Definitely yes. At the moment, I am looking forward to do some work in London. My movies are also keeping me busy. Once my stores in Mumbai get rolling, I will think about the others.
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Once my stores in Mumbai get rolling, I will think about the others
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What do you feel went wrong with your Peddar Road store?
Nothing went wrong. It's just that the franchise people were cheats. They poached my staff, they poached my designs. And that's why I had to file a lawsuit against them and withdraw them as my franchise.
You also have your costume jewellery line 'Just About Jewellery'. Tell us something more about it.
It basically caters to the people who cannot afford expensive jewellery, but who want the jewellery to match their outfits simultaneously, but at much cheaper rates. In short, it's all about the ordinary man looking extraordinary!
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It's all about the ordinary man looking extraordinary!
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Anna, we won't be wrong if we say that you were the magical hands behind the transformation of Madhuri (Hum Aapka Hain Kaun) and Karisma Kapoor (Raja Hindustani). Whom do you feel should have been next on your list?
Undoubtedly, Madonna and the reason being that she is the best in whatever she does!
How has been your Bollywood journey so far?
The going has been really great. The first film for which I designed the clothes was Khatarnak, after which there was no looking back. My originality has always been strong point. It's been a record span of doing 550 films in 20 years, something that has got me in the Guinness Book of Records! My work for Umrao Jaan and Taj Mahal has even fetched me the prestigious National Awards. What more could I ask for! I was also the official designer for the biggest beauty pageant in India, Femina Miss India for the past 5 years. Whatever it is, I owe my success to Jackie Shroff and Pooja Bhatt, the two people who happened to make me aware of my talent and creativity.
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Whatever it is, I owe my success to Jackie Shroff and Pooja Bhatt
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Tell us something about your tryst with Taj Mahal?
Frankly speaking, I haven't worked so hard and felt so contended. During the making of this film, I was nearly re-christened as 'Anna Jampuri' or 'Jodhpuri' for the yards of fabric that I had cut and tailored to make costumes for the innumerable artistes in the film (smiles).
Did you not ever think of joining the film industry as an actress as she herself was a famous model?
I hail from a very conservative family where even becoming a designer itself had so many reservations. The fact is that I belong to a 'Jat Sikh' family where coming into movies was not accepted.
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I belong to a 'Jat Sikh' family where coming into movies was not accepted
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Who do you feel is the best dressed male and female in the industry today?
I feel that the last style icon has been Mr. Jackie Shroff. We have not had any style icon after him. And amongst the heroines, I think they all look very similar. But I do like Aishwarya Rai.
Amongst the current breed of Bollywood heroines, who do you feel needs top work on the dressing sense?
Vidya Balan!
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We have not had any style icon after Jackie Shroff
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Looking back, you had quit designing for 'Nach Baliye' because you felt that u stopped growing.
When the contestants came to me, they had huge expectations of what I was going to do for them. And the TV guys work on very strange budgets. That's the reason somewhere they (the contestants) felt cheated and I too felt that I could not do any justice to them. So, it was better to call it off as no body was really satisfied! They have really very constrained budgets!
What's happening on the work front?
I have got my hands full now. At present, I am working on London Dreams, Toonpur Ka Superhero, Veer, Yuvraaj and Ek Vivah Aisa Bhi..
Lastly, how do you describe the role of Jackie Shroff who has played an angel in your life?
Jackie Shroff is the most wonderful human being I have ever met in my life. All that I can say is that you are sometimes blessed by the choicest of peoples and blessings!
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