Lakme Fashion Week 2018 kicked off in grand style on January 31 in Mumbai’s ITC Grand Central Hotel. The opening day of the summer spring edition of the biggest fashion event in India belonged to Bollywood actor Shahid Kapoor and his gorgeous wife Mira Rajput. The lovely couple walked the ramp for Anita Dongre and in the process becoming the most talked about showstoppers of the day. The duo exchanged sweet nothings, indulged in cute PDA including the cliché dupatta getting stuck moments and of course Shahid making his lady love twirl – India’s biggest fashion show saw it all. However, once you are over the ‘aww-so-cute-couple’ factor, you realize how poorly the two walked the runway.

Anita Dongre’s showstoppers Shahid and Mira turned up as bride and groom at the closing on Day 1. Shahid dressed up in white bandh-gala while his wifey looked resplendent in matching pastel floral-printed lehenga-choli. The celebrated fashion designer’s collection 'Songs of Summer' was unveiled at Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2018.

Ditching the traditional ramp platform, Dongre’s runway was set up as a garden. The models displayed the impressive collection of pleated lehengas with pockets, jumpsuits, and sarees in shades of delicate pinks, muted yellows, deep indigos before the grand entrance of the showstoppers in divine whites. However, it was not as graceful as one would expect from a showstopper!

My Eyes Are Bleeding Seeing Shahid-Mira's Awkward Walk

Loved the drama on stage #shahidkapoor #mirarajput

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In what appeared as the most awkward walks of their lives, Shahid and Mira were at their embarrassing best. While the Padmaavat actor used all his experience from a decade-long stay in the glamour world to still hold the show, his 23-year-old wife looked a lost child. During the entire course of the walk, Shahid was seen giving directions to Mira who was slouching, flaunting ugly postures and possibly doing everything a professional model should not do.

Let Cute Pictures Not Fool You of Their Poor Display as Showstoppers

Now the question arises from ShaMira (moniker given to the celebrity pair) fans – She is not a model, or they are not models. My counter question is – If they’re not, then why to take place of a deserving model who works extensively to gain the much-deserved recognition and has a right to be walking a showstopper.

A Closer Look at Not So Deserving Showstoppers Making Pure Mockery of Modelling

Modelling is a serious business; the male and female models undergo strenuous training to be able to walk a ramp. However, all the rules are flouted with underserving Bollywood celebs and their relatives taking the position as showstoppers and doing a bad job at it.

You would not find a similar scenario in the West. Hollywood superstars Tom Cruise, Robert Downey Jr., Jennifer Lawrence or Nicole Kidman do not walk the ramp at Milan, New York, Paris or any other top fashion shows worldwide as showstoppers. There are models and supermodels for the job like Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid, Karlie Kloss, David Gandy, Matthew Noszka, Rob Evans, Adriana Lima, Candice Swanepoel, Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Irina Shayk, Emily Ratajkowski and so, so many more. These top male and female models have been lining up the best of fashion shows around the world and not unnecessarily side-lined by cinema stars.

Influential Models Setting the Runway on Fire

Who’s tuning in tonight?!

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A Look at Real Supermodels Upping the Ante

Indian supermodel Ujjwala Raut rightly once said, ‘Being a showstopper is a model’s birthright’ in a 2016 interview. The model who has walked for international brands Yves Saint Laurent, Roberto Cavalli and Dolce & Gabbana firmly believes Bollywood is one of the reasons why the Indian fashion industry has not produced supermodels.

Raut was quoted saying, “If there is a demand, there is a supply. It’s just that Bollywood is something that everybody wants to do after modelling. If you don’t really go international, or if you don’t have something to fall back on besides modelling, the next step has to be Bollywood.”

It is almost impossible to believe the country that has produced talented scores of models like Madhu Sapre, Milind Soman, Carol Gracias, Candice Pinto, Alesia Raut and more, is struggling to have a recognized face to lead a show in present days. It is not difficult to understand the psyche of fashion designers who want to cash on Bollywood celebs, their spouses and other family members to sell their brand than take a risk with a low-key model. However, it is time to give Indian model industry a chance and have our own set of Kendal, Gigi, Karlie and Emily. Honestly, seeing Shahid-Mira walk the ramp of leading fashion show while discussing daily errands is SO NOT CUTE.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 01, 2018 03:45 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).