Manish Malhotra Credits Kajol for Kicking Off the Sneakers-with-Lehenga Fashion Revolution

When it comes to redefining style with comfort, trust Kajol to have done it decades before it became a thing! In a recent episode of Too Much with Twinkle, featuring Sonakshi Sinha and Manish Malhotra, the designer revealed a fun fashion fact — Kajol was the first to pair sneakers with a lehenga, way back during Kuch Kuch Hota Hai!

Manish recalled how he had designed Kajol’s iconic orange lehenga for the wedding sequence of KKHH, a piece so heavy that travelling with it became a task in itself. As the vanities were far, and Kajol had to stand for long hours in that outfit. That’s when she decided to ditch the heels and slip into sneakers — a choice that turned out to be both practical and, unknowingly, revolutionary.

Manish shared that even Karan Johar questioned him at the time, but it was Kajol’s wish. She prioritised comfort without compromising on style. Brides today wear sneakers with their bridal wear, but Kajol did it 27 years ago — she was the real “trendsetter.”

The episode also touched upon Manish and Kajol’s long-standing friendship, one that’s spanned over three decades and several memorable collaborations — from Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai to Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham. Their creative synergy has given Indian cinema some of its most iconic looks, blending Manish’s glamorous sensibilities with Kajol’s effortless authenticity.

As trends come full circle, it’s only fitting that the woman who made comfort cool long before it was mainstream gets her due. Kajol didn’t just play Anjali — she was the cool girl who could make sneakers with a lehenga look like the most natural thing in the world.