Behind closet doors: Gurmeet Choudhary
The TV actor is fearless: he has worn a hotel staff’s uniform for a press conference, and mismatched shoes at an event
Gurmeet Choudhary, the actor who rose to fame playing Lord Ram in the serial Ramayan (2008), and his dog Dexter greet us at his Goregaon apartment. The whitewashed walls are full of awards and pictures of Choudhary with wife, actor Debina Bonnerjee. He brings out his entire collection of watches, glasses, hats and caps for us.
Fashion sensibilities: “It’s about being comfortable. I like experimenting and picking up trends from across the world. It is important for me to keep changing my look. I once wore different coloured shoes for an event.”
Culturally sound: “My dad was in the army. We used to travel a lot, to different cities, because of his postings. I’ve lived in Chennai, Srinagar, Assam, etc. Over time, I realised that every city has its own look. Because I’ve seen so many different cultures, I can carry off anything comfortably and with confidence, even dhotis and lungis.”
Monochrome mania: “I end up picking clothes in black and white mostly. I don’t like pink, though I’ve actually gone ahead and tried it at an awards show.”
Style no-no: “Shorts or knee-length bottoms and a vest.”
Go-to Designers: “Rocky S and Manish Malhotra; they’re superb.”
Moody shopper: “At times, it takes me two to three hours to select what I want and, sometimes, I just pick up whatever I like without trials. My wife has to remind me that I don’t have to buy everything.”
Fashion inspiration: “Amitabh Bachchan is so well-dressed. He’s someone whose style evolves with time, and that’s important for actors. There are so many actors who sport only the look that’s made them a hit, and stick to that.”
Quick save: “I was once in Ahmedabad doing promotions for a reality show and had to be at a press conference. I asked the hotel staff to iron the clothes that I was going to wear for the conference but they misunderstood and sent them for washing instead. I had no backup outfits, and the conference was to begin in half an hour. I asked the manager to lend me a white shirt, a pair of black pants and a tie from their staff uniforms. Surprisingly, I wasn’t looking bad.”
Can’t throw away: “My jackets. I have collected all the jackets I’ve ever bought and some are still lying in my old home in Colaba. They are special because they’re from the time I was in college.”
Oldest piece of clothing: “I was in class eight or nine and the film Kaho Na Pyar Hai had just released. The song Ek Pal Ka Jeena had become very popular, and Hrithik Roshan had worn a see-through T-shirt. I got a similar one for myself, which I wore for all my dance competitions and danced on the song. I still have that T-shirt with me.”
Perfectly groomed: “You will never catch me badly dressed or wearing just about anything and stepping out of my house. Even if I have to step out of my room, I will be well-dressed.”
Shopping destination: “Cape Town residents have a great sense of style. I picked up this pair of flared bottoms there and wore it when I was going to meet Mahesh Bhatt. He looked at me and said, ‘Yeh kya pehna hai bhai.”
Styling courtesy: anrosette.com
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