Fashion designer Rohit Bal died at the age of 63 in Gurugram on Friday, November 1, after battling heart problems. His friend and filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar remembered him as a fashion icon. Speaking exclusively to India Today Digital, the director recalled his days of interaction with the designer while researching for his 2008 hit film Fashion, which starred Priyanka Chopra and Kangana Ranaut in the lead roles.

Bhandarkar described the news of Bal’s death as ‘shocking’. He said, “I just saw the news and it is very shocking. I have known him for about 15 years. I remember meeting him while researching fashion. I remember his inputs on style and fashion and everything else. We Used to talk.” , talk to each other, in Delhi Fashion Week or whenever he came to Mumbai, he was very stylish and very innovative as a designer, he inspired a lot of designers, people always remember Rohit Bal’s designs and his cuts. Were waiting for. His style. Fashion would never be the same without Rohit. The style he brought to the fashion industry was incredible.”

Bhandarkar shared that he failed to meet the late designer in the last 5-6 years, but he always kept checking on his health through common friends and colleagues. The National Award-winning director said he was in Delhi during the recently held Lakme Fashion Week when he learned that Bal was making a comeback on the ramp with a fashion show. “Just 10-12 days ago, I went to Lakme Fashion Week for another designer friend of mine, Rohit Kamra. And the same evening, there was Rohit Bal’s show in another hotel in Delhi. My show took time and I thought Let’s see if I can meet him later”, he said.

“He was in his own world”

Bhandarkar said, “I think he was missing from the horizon of the fashion industry for the last 5-6 days. He was not well. I kept asking people about his health. He was hospitalised. He was completely We were in our own world.” But, I was very happy that day when I came to know that Rohit is doing a show, I really missed him a lot.

The director also expressed happiness that when Bal returned to the ramp earlier this year, he looked as cheerful as ever. “I believe Ranbir (Kapoor) and Ananya (Pandey) walked the ramp. I couldn’t do it because of distance and other reasons. I felt really happy for him because he finally got back to doing that thing.” “That made him really happy, to be back on grounds that he loved so much,” he explained.

Bhandarkar shared how the late designer used to create his own kind of atmosphere while attending his fashion shows. She said, “I saw pictures of him the next day. He was always dancing and always coming on stage at the end of his shows. He had a style and he would totally rock out. He always encouraged me. He loved fashion. He liked it and he always spoke.” About things from the movie.
I always prayed for him and sent him my best wishes.”

“Rohit Bal was a trend-setter”

The director described the void left in the fashion industry due to the designer’s death. He described Bal as an ‘icon’ and said, “Rohit Bal has been an icon. He was a trend-setter. People used to swear by his name. He became a big face in the fashion industry. People wanted to wear his clothes- Politicians, businessmen, Bollywood celebs – they all used to attend his shows in packed houses and we used to watch his collections with such curiosity that as soon as Rohit Bal came on stage, he started working at a very young age and started working on his collection. “Brilliantly portrayed.”

Other Bollywood celebs including Kareena Kapoor Khan, Sidharth Malhotra, Sabyasachi, Aditi Rao Hydari, Ananya Panday and Sonam Kapoor paid their last tribute to Rohit Bal by writing emotional notes on social media.

Bal was suffering from heart disease since last year. He was admitted to the intensive care unit of Medanta Hospital in Gurugram in November 2023. The fashion designer was rushed to the hospital due to pre-existing heart complications.

She returned to work earlier this year and showed her last show at the Lakme India Fashion Week in Delhi last month. The designer stumbled on the ramp, leaving fans worried about his health.