For decades, Manish Malhotra has been Bollywood’s go-to couturier, the man who stitched together its most iconic screen looks from breezy chiffon saris of the ’90s to the sequined glamour of today. But this time, he isn’t dressing the stars. He’s producing their stories.
With Gustaakh Ishq, Manish Malhotra makes an audacious debut as a film producer, trading the security of the runway for the unpredictability of the big screen. The film’s teaser has already notched over half a million views and the early buzz is strikingly different from what one might expect from a designer-turned-producer.
What’s winning audiences isn’t just the “Manish Malhotra” name. They are connecting to the atmosphere of the film itself. The narrow lanes of Purani Dilli, the fading kothis of Punjab, the textured cinematography of Manush Nandan, and the music of Vishal Bhardwaj, all of it feels rooted, nostalgic, and refreshingly different. Adding depth to this is Gulzar Sa’ab’s lyrics.
It’s a far cry from the star-studded, glossy spectacle one might have assumed Malhotra would bankroll. Instead, Gustaakh Ishq chooses stillness over spectacle, intimacy over excess. Online chatter is calling it “a bold debut” and “a risk worth taking” praise for a man who could have played it safe but didn’t.
For Manish Malhotra, this isn’t just a career pivot. It’s a homecoming. Cinema was his first love, long before fashion turned him into a household name. Now, through Stage5 Production, launched with his brother Dinesh, he’s circling back to that love this time not as a designer, but as a storyteller. Through the banner, Manish has created a space to give a platform to new talents, whether technicians, writers, actors, singers, or anyone with a creative tingle.
Renowned designer Manish Malhotra makes his production debut with Gustaakh Ishq under his banner Stage5 Production, co-produced by Dinesh Malhotra. Directed by Vibhu Puri, the romantic drama features stellar cast, Naseeruddin Shah, Vijay Varma, Fatima Sana Shaikh, and Sharib Hashmi. The film boasts music by Vishal Bhardwaj, lyrics by Gulzar, sound design by Resul Pookutty, and cinematography by Manush Nandan. Gustaakh Ishq is set to hit theatres in November 2025. And if the first reactions are anything to go by, Manish Malhotra’s gamble may just turn into his most rewarding creation yet.
