She is not playing house house

The 14,000 sq ft store,her “dream since childhood”,took three years of realty space-searching and concept designing and “constant encouragement from Hrithik” before it could be realised. Sprawled across two floors,it houses a variety of interior furnishing pieces,ranging from candles made in France to restored antique furniture to paintings,installations and even exclusive Italian-made cutlery and crockery. However,the first thing that strikes one upon entering the store is the colour grey that dominates the entire space. “When the canvas is grey,anything you place on it sparkles. Just like charcoal,which,when burnt,bursts out with colour,” she explains her choice as well as the name of the store.

She may have maintained a low profile until now,but Roshan knows how to be engaging. It’s perhaps this quality that has won her the reputation of being one of Bollywood’s best hostesses. Amidst a flurry of guests,mediapersons and her staff,the petite designer takes out time to show everyone around personally. Not only that,she has also stocked creations by world-renowned interior designer Martin Waller’s

Andrew Martin and designer duo Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla. That’s besides the exclusive pieces she has handpicked from all over the world.

Though a melange of influences — ranging from retro to European classic to Indian — are evident in the collections on display,Roshan’s own creations bear a touch of the Gothic,such as imposing metal eagles and gargoyles. She laughs,confessing,“I’ve changed now but I used to be the Goth girl with black nails and dark eye shadow.”

Roshan’s store launch on Sunday saw the best of Bollywood at her doorstep. But she is also aware that for the same reason people may not take her work seriously. “I won’t succeed unless I have genuine talent,” she says,“But if I do,there’ll soon be another store,this time in Delhi and I’ll follow it up by going global.”