Manoj walks the ramp, says it's to revive Bhagalpur silk

Oct 7, 2012 IANS

New Delhi, Oct 7 (IANS) When he hit the ramp in a brown coloured jacket and check pants, the audiences hooted and cheered for actor Manoj Bajpayee who decided to become a showstopper for designer Samant Chauhan on the second day Sunday of the ongoing Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week (WIFW) for the sake of Bhagalpur silk.

"Walking the ramp is not my kind of work, but when Samant shared the concept with me, I could not say no. The main reason behind giving the nod was that he is trying to revive Bhagalpur silk in a modern way and I couldn't say no to such an initiative because even I belong to the same area. It is my pleasure," Manoj, who hails from Narkatiaganj in Bettiah, West Champaran, told reporters after the show.

The critically acclaimed actor flaunted a Rajputana look.

Chauhan, who is also from a village near Bhagalpur in Bihar, titled his collection Rajputana Poshak that had 34 garments for both men and women. A mix of angarakhas, saris and lehengas, it was dominated by a lot of zari work.

Talking about Manoj walking the ramp for him, Chauhan said: "I have always admired him for his movies and today when he walked for me, it was unbelievable."

Telling about the fabric, he added that he has used "Bhagalpur silk mixed with a lot of cotton to give a softer feel".

After the super success of "Gangs of Wasseypur", Manoj is now looking forward to the release of "Chittagong", based on the 1930 Chittagong Uprising.

When asked about less promotion for the film, directed by former NASA scientist Bedbrata Pain, he said that it does not require any marketing.

"The film has got an amazing script and I think that will bring people to theatres so no promotion needed for 'Chittagong'," he added.