If there’s one invitation that gets Bollywood talking before Diwali even arrives, it’s Manish Malhotra’s annual festive bash. Often dubbed the Indian Met Gala of the festive season, the designer’s glamorous Mumbai soirée sees Bollywood’s biggest stars descend in their finest festive couture, serving up some serious fashion inspiration in opulent ensembles and statement jewellery that gets the whole internet decoding. But beyond the celebrity appearances and carefully curated looks, there’s a more personal side to the party that keeps it special.
In an exclusive conversation with The Free Press Journal, Manish opens up about what goes into hosting his much-anticipated Diwali celebration, the festive trends catching his eye this year and why jewellery is becoming a statement in its own right. He also reflects on how Bollywood’s relationship with fashion has transformed since the early days of his career, when the clothes actors wore on screen often defined their style off it.
More than just a glamorous party
With his Diwali party now firmly on the festive calendar, it is easy to get caught up in the fashion spectacle. For Manish, however, the real excitement lies in having his favourite people under one roof.
“It’s always about bringing everyone together!,” he says excitingly, adding, “I love fashion, of course, and it’s wonderful to see everyone dressed up, experimenting with Indian clothes and enjoying themselves. But the reason I host my Diwali party is much more personal. These are friends I’ve known for years, people I’ve worked with, grown up with in the industry and shared so many memories with.”
The couturier loves the energy of everyone coming together, the conversations, the laughter and the music. “Ultimately, the best part of any party is the people who make it special,” he adds.
And if you thought the magic happened simply by putting together a guest list and letting the glamour take over, there is plenty more happening behind the scenes. Manish is just as invested in the tiny details that set the night as he is in fashion.
“I think people might be surprised by how involved I am in the little details. I love hosting, and I enjoy creating an atmosphere where everyone feels welcome and comfortable. The flowers, the lighting, the music, the food, how the space feels when people walk in- these things matter to me,” he explains.
After years of bringing together friends from across the film industry, it is the unscripted moments that remain closest to him, rather than one particular headline-making incident.
Manish states, “There are so many memories because these gatherings have become a lovely tradition over the years. What stays with me isn’t necessarily one unexpected moment, but those spontaneous moments when everyone forgets about their work and schedules and is simply enjoying being together.”
This Diwali, jewellery is doing the talking
Chatting about Diwali with Manish also means getting into the details of festive dressing, and jewellery is one conversation we simply can’t skip! From oversized jhumkas and elaborate chokers to layered heirloom pieces that almost covers your clothes, statement accessories are making their presence felt this season. For Manish, however, it’s not just about going bigger or bolder, but about finding new ways to wear traditional pieces.
“I think people are becoming much more expressive with jewellery, and I love that,” he says, noting how Indian jewellery has always carried a sense of grandeur, from Polki necklaces to traditional jhumkas. What excites him most is how people are styling these classics differently today.
“Someone might pair an elaborate necklace with a very simple saree, or wear dramatic earrings with a contemporary silhouette,” he explains. Rather than simply complementing an outfit, jewellery is increasingly becoming the centrepiece of a look.
This balance between heritage and contemporary expression is something Manish explores through his own High Jewellery and Fine Jewellery collections, too. Which he also explores in his Diwali collaboration with Black Dog this year. For him, the current fascination with statement pieces isn’t simply about a return to over-the-top couture, but about wearing jewellery with confidence and intention.
He explains, “I’ve enjoyed exploring that relationship between traditional craftsmanship and modern styling. And I don’t think it is simply a return to maximalism. It’s about people feeling confident enough to make jewellery the centre of their look, and knowing that sometimes one extraordinary piece can make a greater statement than several.”
So, what should be on the festive fashion mood board this year? Manish keeps his forecast focused on three broad directions rather than prescribing a rigid set of looks.
“I would say the first is rich, expressive colour. The second is a more fluid approach to Indian silhouettes. And the third is more individual styling.”
Taking his design language beyond fashion
This Diwali, Manish is bringing his signature design sensibility beyond fashion through a collaboration with Black Dog. The designer has created a limited-edition festive pack for Black Dog Triple Gold Reserve, translating his eye for intricate detailing and Indian craftsmanship onto a different canvas.
The designer says the project allowed him to take the elements that define his fashion work and explore them in a different format. “My design philosophy has always been rooted in craftsmanship, intricate detailing and creating something that feels special,” he says. While fashion lets him express these through “silhouettes, textures and embroidery,” the festive pack became an opportunity to bring the same approach to packaging.
The design was also shaped by the whisky itself. Manish explains its “richness and smooth character” inspired the depth and warmth of the visual palette, while the festive setting called for a sense of opulence. “I wanted the pack to feel at home in a festive setting, with a sense of opulence that makes it more than just packaging and turns it into a part of the celebration,” he notes.
Gold and florals became key elements of the design, bringing together familiar festive symbolism and a contemporary finish. “Gold felt like a natural starting point, given its place in Indian celebrations, its connection to product and its presence in my own design vocabulary,” he says. The florals, meanwhile, were designed to feel “more fluid and contemporary,” with gold adding richness without overwhelming the overall look.
“I’ve always enjoyed taking familiar Indian influences and finding a new expression for them,” Manish adds.
How Bollywood learnt to dress beyond the movies
Manish has spent decades dressing actors and watching their styles evolve, making him uniquely placed to reflect on how celebrity fashion has changed. The biggest difference, he says, is how closely an actor’s identity is now linked to what they wear beyond the screen.
“When I started working in cinema, fashion was very closely connected to the characters actors played on screen. A film look could become iconic, and audiences would remember and recreate it for years. There was a certain magic to that.”
In the present time, the conversation extends well beyond a film’s costumes. “Today, actors have a much more developed personal fashion identity outside their films as well. They’re experimenting with international designers, vintage pieces, Indian craftsmanship, contemporary silhouettes and different ways of styling themselves. Fashion has become another form of self-expression. Social media has also changed how quickly a look travels and how audiences engage with it.”
With a look able to travel across social media almost instantly, celebrity fashion has become a much bigger conversation. Yet, for Manish, the core of good styling hasn’t changed with the times.
“But I think the most important thing remains the same. The clothes have to connect with the personality wearing them. I’ve always enjoyed understanding an actor’s individuality, and that continues to be the most interesting part of dressing someone.”
And perhaps that is what ties together his approach to Bollywood styling, festive dressing and even a Diwali party that has become a fashion event in its own right: the details may evolve, the trends may change, but the people and the personality behind the look remain central.