Vidya Balan goes glam in Heyy Babyy

MUMBAI: After Karisma Kapoor and Urmila Matondkar’s makeover in Raja Hindustani and Rangeela respectively, it’s now time for plain Jane Vidya Balan to turn glam courtesy fashion designer Manish Malhotra.

Ever since her debut film Parineeta and until recently in Lage Raho Munnabhai and Eklavya, Balan has always portayed a simple Indian girl-next-door look.

Now with Sajid Khan’s Heyy Babyy, Balan is all set to shed her simple avataar anddon a new glam yet subtle look. Together Khan, Malhotra and the actress had various photo shoots to zero in on the final look.

Says Khan, “We did three photo shoots with Vidya and Manish long before the film went on floors. In the film Vidya is playing a Sydney based millionaire, so I could not have her in sarees and salwar kameez. I needed a very, very, very good actress and also someone who carries herself with a lot of dignity.”Continued… < Page Break >

Malhotra was appointed exclusively for Balan’s makeover, which he defines as a subtle one. “Vidya’s dressing is very believable. In the film she lives in Australia, so the colours used are not Indian. The western outfits that she wears have a lot of geometrical designs and stripes.”

He further adds, “In the film there is also a flashback scene where Vidya wears sarees and ghagras but they are all quite different from what she wore in Parineeta.” Apart from the costumes, Balan’s haircut and make-up is also different from what she has sported until now.

Commenting on her new look for the film, Balan says, “Heyy Babyy is very different from the kind of stuff I have been doing. This is my first glam western look. Mainsh has always been known to create magic with his heroines. He has given me a different look and I hope it creates magic as well.”

Malhotra has, until now, dolled-up actressess like Sridevi, Madhuri Dixit, Karisma Kapoor, Kajol, Rani Mukherji, Urmila Matondkar, Preity Zinta, Kareena Kapoor and Shilpa Shetty amongst others. As far as actors are concerned, the ones who have sported his designs are Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan and Saif Ali Khan to name a few.