MUMBAI: Manish Malhotra’s show at the Lakme Fashion Week celebrating 100 years of Indian cinema this year was a blockbuster in every right. The show ran to a packed house, with leading ladies Kajol, Karisma Kapur, Asha Bhonsle, Hema Malini, Bhanu Athaiya stealing the show.

Manish, Bollywood’s most revered designer is certainly also the most popular, for his show was the most awaited and saw the biggest turnout. The show was divided into three main segments, in an homage to India cinema through the ages.

So the first part saw the era of the early 1920’s and 1930’s, with ‘Bombay Talkies’ filmmakers Karan Johar, Anurag Kashyap, Zoya Akhtar and Dibakar take to the ramp in silent shades of black.

Then came the late 1950’s and 1960’s and beyond, with yesteryear superstars like senior actress Bhanu Athaiya, dreamgirl Hema Malini and veteran playback singer Asha Bhonsle traipse down the runway, in soothing shades reminiscent of the time period. Hema Malini was seen in a vibrant pink sari, while Asha Bhonsle was demure in white. Bhanu Athaiya was helped down the runway by Priyanka Chopra, Varun Dhawan, Siddharth Malhotra and Manish Malhotra, to raucous applause and a standing ovation. (SEE PHOTOS OF HEMA MALINI AND ASHA BHOSLE HERE)

Kajol and Karisma were seen in Manish’s signature creations: a grey sari with a black lace blouse for the uber stunning Kajol and a white A-line kurta and churidar for the gorgeous Karisma.

The show ran to a packed house, which included French shoe designer Christian Louboutin, Melita, Parineeti Chopra, Esha Gupta, Poorna Jagannathan, Sheetal Mafatlal, Queenie Singh and Krishka Lulla in the front row.