Rick Roy has long been one of Bollywood’s most sought-after costume designers and stylists. With an instinct for visual storytelling and a keen understanding of both character and celebrity branding, Roy has styled some of the industry’s biggest names, such as Akshay Kumar, Emraan Hashmi, Sonam Kapoor, Vidya Balan and Malaika Arora, among others.
Now, he is stepping into the spotlight himself. Roy made his acting debut with the Amazon series Dil Dosti Dilemma, marking a new chapter in his journey.
The transition wasn’t something he had meticulously planned. Instead, it emerged organically. “Before Dil Dosti Dilemma, I actually did a one-line part in Fashion as Kangana Ranaut’s character’s friend. But this was my first proper, scripted role. I never consciously decided, ‘Okay, now I’m going to act,’ but I’ve always enjoyed the process. People kept telling me I have a natural on-camera persona, so when this opportunity came along, I thought, why not? It felt like a fun extension of my creative expression rather than a career shift.”
Coming from a styling background, Roy brings awareness to his on-screen presence. For him, performance begins with how a person occupies space within the frame.
“As a stylist, I understand what works on screen silhouettes, colours, textures, body language, all of it. So when I’m in front of the camera, I’m already aware of how I present myself and how it will translate visually. It definitely makes a difference because I understand both sides of the frame.”
His on-camera presence isn’t limited to this show. Roy was also seen in the international series Rob & Romesh Vs, a BAFTA-nominated show, where his role grew in an unexpected yet organic manner. Initially brought on board purely as a stylist for the Bollywood episode, his natural charisma quickly made him a part of the narrative.
Recalling the incident, he said, “They first approached me to style the Bollywood episode. But once I met the producers, we ended up having these hilarious conversations on set, and they said, ‘We need you on camera.’ I think my role even expanded because the interactions were so fun, it made for great content, and it just organically became part of the episode.”
Now that he is into acting, is he looking forward to exploring further? Roy says that he is open to anything fun. “Acting isn’t my day job; it’s another way for me to express myself as an artist. I know that because of my flamboyant persona, I’ll probably be offered certain types of roles initially, and I’m okay with that. But who knows, maybe I’ll surprise everyone with how good an actor I actually am! (laughs)”
Beyond acting, the conversation also touched upon fashion, which remains central to his identity. When asked about recent standout fashion moments, Roy points to a young actor who, in his view, has struck the right balance.
“Definitely Ananya Panday. She and, more importantly, her stylist really understand her body and her vibe. She’s not trying too hard, but she’s putting in just the right amount of effort to hit that sweet spot of style. It’s balanced, clean, and very her.”
However, when it comes to the idea of “underrated” dressers in the industry, Roy flips the narrative entirely, suggesting that the real issue might lie elsewhere.
“Honestly, I don’t think anyone is underrated. Everyone is trying to be a Style Icon these days, sometimes even more than an Acting Icon. If anything, a lot of people are slightly overrated. (laughs)”
That said, he does see promise in a new generation of actors and thinks that Sharvari is one of the actors he is curious to see where she goes with fashion.
“Sharvari excites me right now. I’m curious to see where she goes with fashion. On the other hand, many celebrities start playing it very safe once they reach a certain point. They get conscious of opinions and stick to tried-and-tested looks. But fashion is meant to start conversations; if you play it too safe, it just gets boring.”
Roy now has three releases lined up this year and two new projects starting as a designer.
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