Hyderabad is home'

Hyderabad-based designer Sashi Vangapalli is the first designer from the city to showcase her collection at Cannes Film Festival which concluded recently. Announcing this was Sushmita Sen, the actress who calls Hyderabad her “janma bhoomi”.

“This is a very empowering table; women who have in one way or the other represented the country are present here,” started off Sushmita, hinting at herself and Sashi, adding, “She came into my life with Lakmé Fashion Week (Sush walked the ramp in her collection) and I fell in love with the woman who embodies the spirit of Hyderabad.”

Sushmita informed that her daughters were busy back in Mumbai, being by the side of their grandmother, who suffered a stroke. Sharing a fashion tip Sushmita said, “Dress according to your body type — on bad days, go loose and on happy days, go very tight.”

Making the event even more special for Sushmita was the presence of her “adopted mother”, Shobha Prasad, who she lovingly calls Amma. Shobha happens to be the sister-in-law of actor Jagapati Babu and Sushmita credited her for all the Telugu that she knows.

Moving back to Sashi’s Cannes appearance, Sushmita says, “For her first appearance, Sashi decided to wear an outfit which has Bengal Tiger, Peacock, Charminar, Taj Mahal and the ethos of India and Hyderabad. Often, while trying to compete with the world, we forget where we come from and who we are, so I am happy that Sashi has kept that in mind,” said Sushmita.

For Sashi, it was a dream come true. “When we received the email with an invite to Cannes, none of us believed it. It took a while for the information to sink in. It was a really special moment when Aishwarya was in front and Rihanna was behind me and I was starstruck. The experience was amazing,” said Sashi.