Following in the footsteps of its cousin in the West, Bollywood too can now boast of its leading ladies creating their own brands. Recently, fitness freak Bipasha Basu launched her own fitness gear. Shilpa Shetty has, in the past, put her stamp on yoga DVDs, while Sonam Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor are both planning to introduce their respective lines of fashion wear. So what’s exactly fueling this trend?
Anirban Das, managing director of celebrity management company Kwan, calls it a global phenomenon. “It has always been a significant opportunity for celebrities across the globe. In India, initially there is always a struggle to get the business model right. But once that’s achieved, huge returns are waiting.”
But he says this is no more like endorsing a product. “It’s serious business, which requires a lot of thinking,” he says.
Some others see it as a fetish of the rich and famous. Arrtee Zutshii, head of marketing and communication for some of the top fashion brands in the country, says, “It’s on the same lines as Sarah Jessica Parker, JLo and Paris Hilton. Of course in the West, it’s not only the actresses, but a wide spectrum of celebrities who do it.” However, Arrtee says she wouldn’t term it blind aping of the west. “It’s more of an inspiration they are drawing from the international divas.”
Speaking of the commercial viability, Anirban says that it’s just taking brand endorsement a step further. “Considering how celeb-crazy Indians are, it has a large scope here,” he says.
But in spite of all this, experts still feel that the market here is at its nascent stage in India, and they can become huge only after another five years.