The Great Indian Celeb Sale

What can recession-hit TV actors do to pay the bills and reach fans? A telly star’s website may have the answer

What does a recession-hit TV actor do when Ekta Kapoor stops taking her calls and all the reality shows have finished casting? How does she pay the bills and reach her fans, without compromising her image? Telly star Sachin Sharma has solemnly considered and maybe resolved those questions. His answer is sbuy.in, arguably the first site in India where celebrities, and only celebrities, can sell anything from used mobile phones to ghagra cholis. “I got the idea from the recession.Everyone’s having a tough time, but when celebrities sell through people they often get a bad deal,” says CEO Sharma. But the sellers have to prove their mettle: since the site is only meant for people with a certain notoriety, Sharma promises: “We will look through stories on them, photos, anything to make sure it is a known face.” So far the website has a hotch-potch of stuff, including costumes from the soap Balika Vadhu, a custom-made gown in the same design as one worn by actress Kangana Ranaut, even some art. Sharma promises they will eventually host objects that belonged to big-ticket actors, directors, and all sorts of what’s-his-name ‘celebrities’.

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Manju Sara Rajan