There was nothing hush about Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh’s recent mega wedding, except for what the bride would wear. Keeping this under wraps was akin to a covert operation
There was nothing hush about Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh’s recent mega wedding, except for what the bride would wear. Keeping this under wraps was akin to a covert operation. Sabyasachi Mukherjee used the code name “Naomi Campbell” to manage all communication regarding the making of Padukone’s wedding outfits.
Mukherjee’s grip on the Indian bridal scene is thanks in large part to the endorsement of stars like Padukone, a friend and longtime patron. Crushingly cute stories of professional camaraderie aside, the two also identify with each other on the challenges they have faced on their way to stardom, including dealing with depression.
“Deepika and I have something in common. We have both suffered severe depression,” Mukherjee told a room full of people. “I went through it when I was very young and I had to leave school for seven-and-a-half years and battled suicidal tendency. It teaches you many things. It taught me the value of introspection.”
“As a world, while we are progressing, we are also becoming less patient,” observed Padukone. “On the road to recovery, you need acceptance, extreme patience and hope. And you have to have people around you that you can trust and who support you through this journey. And you always learn to truly value life,” she added.
It was Sunday evening when the two met for a chat with Business of Fashion (BoF) founder and CEO, Imran Amed, at Soho House Mumbai. They discussed the importance of familial values, the influence of the Indian bridal wear market, economic progress, mental health, and even same-sex marriage in India. Last week, Taiwan legalised same-sex marriage, the first Asian state to do so. Following the partial striking down of Section 377 in 2018 by the Supreme Court, Amed asked the two about their position on queer marriage. “I don’t think we should even be waiting for that time, that time is now. Not letting two people come together legally, I think, is a violation of human rights,” Mukherjee said. Padukone agreed.
“It feels strange that we even have to ask this question.” The occasion also highlighted BoF’s latest special print edition on modern entrepreneurs featuring six global entrepreneurs who’ve left a mark on the global fashion industry, which other than Mukherjee included Serena Williams (USA), Huda Kattan (UAE), Stefano Pilati (Germany) and Gabriela Hearst (USA).
