Shahid Kapoor
Films in Fashion – 2016 – Bollywood edition
It is that time of the year that we look back on the past year to see who made an impact on fashion, who set trends and who aced it in terms of costumes in movies in Bollywood. From fabulously styled to chameleon character looks transforming the actors, this year Bollywood dabbled in both regional and contemporary themes with its costumes within movies. From looking fab to getting down and dirty, the hindi movies explored it all in a range of movies. While there were many like Neerja and Dangal where the costume meshed so well with the character that you hardly notice it (the best thing a costume designer Read the rest of this entry »
Filmfare 2015 – Red Carpet
The possible Oscars of Indian Film Industry, Filmfare saw many stars descend and take the red carpet by storm. Many of the Bollywood actors stepped up their A game, for the red carpet.
ILEANA D’ CRUZ
In Nikhil Thampi seperates with a metallic belt and Dior earrings, Ileana knocked it out the ball park. The one not to go the gown route, Ileana’s suit featured a dramatic cape that drew all attention. With a plunging neckline and impeccably tailored pants that fell just to the right length, Ileana look was just perfectly balanced. With a side pony tail and smoky eyes, she looked every inch fierce styled to perfection. Pointy heels rounded off her looks.
SUNNY LEONE
The ‘Baby Doll’ with a sheer and lace detailed gown that fit her like a glove, looked one of the better ones at night. The Mayyur Girotra structured gown with the flared detail was perfect for the starlet. It hugged her in all the right places flaunting her curves… if you got it, might as well flaunt it. The sheer details between the boat and the sweet heart neck line was just enough detail. Finishing off her look with a side bun and sun kissed makeup, it was a safe but very effective look on the red carpet.
TABU
The actress of the moment, the DIVA brought her A game on for the night with the color of the night, Black. However she stood out tall, like her performances, apart from anyone else. Such long sequined gowns tend to be tricky but Tabu works the hell outta that Vizyon gown looking every bit the star she is. The actress sparkled (literally) and was glam on the red carpet. With side swept hair and the dark vampy lips, this award winner for the night gave the black lady of the night (the filmfare award is black) some serious competition. She definitely did not disappoint. A minor gripe though was that I did wish the gown to be much more structured.
SONAM KAPOOR
The Fashionista Sonam was almost bound to be on this list. The red carpet veteran gave us the perfect ethnic red carpet look without going the traditional long kurta-maxi route. Sporting Anamika Khanna seperates in a blush nude hue, Ms. Kapoor brought in the dainty look on the red carpet. The side tied skirt was the perfect length so as to give that sheer dramatic cape enough room and limelight to shine. The milkmaid braids, which was a good idea to show off the details, complimented the ensemble perfectly. She paired it up with jewelry by her motherr Sunita Kapoor.. just wished she could have stopped at two necklaces. Needless to say she looked pretty
SONALI BENDRE
Sonali’s orange outing on the red carpet pretty much shocked the daylights outta many people. The actress’s unusual choice of color made for an unpredictable outing as well as how it was styled perfectly that one could not flaw anything with a color that hard to pull off. The slick back hair, the smoky eyes her makeup was on-point edgy and dramatic. She paired up her Saloni gown with an Isharya cuff and a Kotur geometric clutch looking every bit statuesque on the red carpet. Good Job!
NEHA DHUPIA
Ah! another one who hardly looks bad in anything. The thing about Neha Dhupia is that she knows she has a broader frame but her sartorial choices are so brilliant and perfect because she makes them work for her body type. The result! well she looks amazing in almost every red carpet outing that she has and hardly ever has a misstep. The Alpana and Neeraj black and electric blue gown with a dramatic bow detail was no exception. The gown looked amazing and so did she with her styling complimenting it to a T. Deciding to pull up her hair and smoky eyes was perfect accompaniment for the gown that was finished just about with a Bottega Veneta clutch in tow.
THE MEN
SHAHID KAPOOR
Looking every bit dapper, the best actor winner of the night lead the pack of men. In a brilliantly fitted tuxedo by Kunal Rawal, Shahid sported a white waistcoat, bow tie, white shirt and a black suit. With the perfect facial fuzz and a perfect quiff of hair, Shahid cut a winning picture (all puns intended) on the red carpet.
FAWAD KHAN
Making all the ladies swoon, Fawad Khan looked every inch contemporary royal he played in the movie. The best debut winner was clad in a Dior Homme suit with pinstriped waistcoat, Armani shirt, Louis Philippe tie, Akshata Bhojania pocket square, Dolce & Gabbana patent lace-ups and Tag Heuer gold and steel watch, he was dapper extraordinaire. With everything slim and tailored to perfection, this is exactly what you want to see a dashing leading man to be wearing.
ARJUN KAPOOR
In an Ashish Soni tux, Arjun Kapoor turned up in an interesting emerald green jacket on the red carpet. An unusual outing and a look, he picked up the perfect trick of going monochrome to let the jacket take the spotlight on the red carpet. While the young actor looked good, now all he needs to do is master the art of getting the perfect posture on the red carpet.
TAHIR RAJ BHASIN
The meanie of the year, Tahir Raj Bhasin, looked dapper in a black suit on the red carpet. The Best Supporting actor nominee played it up perfectly with a black and white suit adding in just a hint of color via a pocket square. To his credit, he made a minimal statement without the need to go all out to make a statement and cut a polished picture.
RANDEEP HOODA
In a perfect dinner tux complete with a bow tie and cummerbund (the only one to do it), Randeep Hooda, turned up an opposite picture of his Mahabeer avatar. The Highway actor cut up a polished image on the red carpet.
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Screen Awards 2015
Tis the award season is upon us in both the worlds, Hollywood as well as Bollywood. Screen Awards that were held saw a slew of stars descend and grace the red carpet. Many did not succeed, and no fucking brilliant moments like Kalki and Huma last year, but few who did, definitely hit it out the ball park.
TABU
Tabu is probably one of those actresses who does not realize how pretty she is. While at many occasions we have seen the tall lass go overboard, she looked smashingly hot in this Abu Jaani and Sandeep Khosla Saree. Red on red carpet always leaves me a bit meh but Tabu who never follows rules, kicks up a storm in this fiery sari. With a chevron blouse, loose hair and understated makeup she lets the sari take the centre stage giving the younger fashionistas a lesson in how is sexy done without overdoing it. Effortlessly HOT.
PRIYANKA CHOPRA
Marcel waves, check. Smoky eyes, check. Understated glamour. Double Check. Bringing her A game to the night, the actress in a blush Gauri and Nainika structured gown hit quite a few notes with her understated and restrained outing. Priyanka always keeps us guessing what she is going to sport next and it’s always the unexpected. The elegant outing was complete with a hairdo that complimented the gown to a T with bang on makeup. The best actress winner, wrapped things with a deep ruby ring to accent the gown just enough.
SHAHID KAPOOR
Going the Jessica Chastain way, the Kapoor lad picked up a bronze suit for the night looking pretty dapper in his suit. While his choice of color was unusal, so was the spin on the usual tux with a blue plaid deep neck vest peeking through just to offset the whole look and carry it off in a rather semi-casual vibe. The triple trophy winner of the night could not be styled better in his now fun do and a stubble to boot.
LISA HAYDON
The leggy lass defines fierce and this time she did not disappoint in a shimmering Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna number looking smoking. A straighter silhouhette with a dangerous thigh high slit, the woman nails the footwear and hair, what even the red carpet fashionistas stumble upon. The dusky stunner kept it simple and that is where she scored. She knows what looks good on her body type (basically everything) and rocks the hell out of it. While I do wish for a bit deeper lip color (not dark), but just a minor gripe
DEEPIKA PADUKONE
After a recent misstep, Deepika was back and what better way than striking back via a traditional route. Opting for a JADE sari, Ms. Padukone cut a pretty picture on the red carpet. Her look was pretty complete with the bindi and gold jhumkis and rounded off with a Bottega Veneta knot clutch that perfectly offset the black sari. A good call to tie up her hair to show off her earrings, Ms Padukone pulls off a very difficult sari, pretty masterfully.
*Images belong to their respective owners
2014 – Films in Fashion.. Bollywood Edition
So while I did do the Hollywood edition, my love for Bollywood movies forced me to have a similar list of fashion in movies. The clothes add in a certain layer to the movie so much so that if they blend in creating the character and representing the journey throughout the character that is where they win hands down. However these have to be noticeable for their effort to be in sync with the character. Bollywood usually resorts to a lot of glitz and glam, which though not bad (we get to see some fun clothes in credit songs and item numbers) it overpowers the actors. Fashion in movies need to support that act in actors and there were quite a few Filmi Fashun moments this year
DEDH ISHQIYA
When Madhuri the actress takes centrestage, Madhuri the DIVA makes an alluring aura around it. Even with others present, it is just her that you see in the frame Playing a Begum (a woman of aristocratic lineage) Madhuri brings in more than her grace and charm to the character which is styled to perfection in Lucknowi Nawabi (royal) look. Throughout the movie she has donned ghararas, shararas, sarees, anarkalis and churidaars, all in monochrome. Credit goes to Payal Saluja for keeping things interesting by executing the whole look but punctuating it through different silhouettes. Barring her wedding dress which was a mix match of red dupatta, green shirt and offwhite lehenga, Madhuri’s Begum never looks boring in monochrome with a perfectly draped dopatta and an aptly placed jhoomar. Muted Kalamkari, Jamawar and Kashmiri Shawls worn by the elder couple (Naseer and Madhuri) are a delight adding to the antiquity vibe of the movie. Off the fabrics Lucknowi Chikankari makes quite an appearance, in end credits, a beige anarkali number and in one of the saris styled to perfection so beautifully, reminded me of Maharani Gayatri Devi. It looked contemporary south asian vintage at its best.
HAIDER
The moments Madhuri had with Dedh Ishqiya, Tabu had in them in Haider. Adapting Hamlet and that too in a Kashmiri setting, with such cultural baggage, Dolly Allhuwalia had a lot of material to work with. However credit to her for exercising immense control in her designs and costumes for the cast of Haider. She kept things contemporary and conservative at the same time. Representing emotional angst through her clothes, be it Shahid’s Kashmiri pherans (kashmiri kurta/tunic) or having Tabu oscillate between brighter and darker color palettes depending upon the emotional situations. Layered with mens jackets, cardigans, layered uppers and floor tunics. Giving Shraddha a young spunk through florals or giving KK sherwanis, Allhuwalia excelled at playing the dressmaker with playing against the Kashmiri background. Using red and black menacingly in the ending climax sequence, she manages to pull off emotional and mental intensities of characters against the snow laden Kashmir.
KHOOBSURAT
When the fashionista of Bollywood is set to star in a movie, all eyes are on her and Sonam Kapoor did not disappoint at all. Cast as the misfit amongst the royals and aristocrats, the sprightly Mili in Khoobsurat was a perfect contradiction to the polished royal tone with her clash of vibrant hues, prints and bohemian silhouettes. Layered using jackets, with fun tunics and screaming prints, Mili seemed the perfect prodigy of her equally Masaba outfits strutting mom. Fawad as the prince made for the perfect Disney prince with his polished looked whether in suits, bandhgalas or kurta and Aligarh pajamas.
SHAADI KE SIDE EFFECTS
One of the best styled homes that I saw this year in movies had to be undoubtedly from this movie. Playing urban chic to perfection, Vidya balan’s look oscillated between the professional to boho chic with pieces from Dev R Nil, Anand Kabra and others with chunky bangles to offset the whole look. Vidya shows off her curves and does not make them an excuse to drape herself. Clever wardrobe choices and silhouettes from belted dresses to straighter printed kurtas work in her favour. With her makeup done to perfection, whoever said professional working women needed to look over polished. Farhan on the other hand kept it cool, urbane and casual as a musician in tees, and buttoned up shirts.
QUEEN
Probably THE movie of the year, Queen saw Kangana’s character Rani evolve from a shy over protected and timid to come into her own freedom and decisive woman. One of the best performances of Kangana’s career, the clothes with their subtle changes and hints evolve throughout the movie showcasing the journey of this timid one blooming beautifully coming into her own. From sporting shalwar kameez with her wild mane to coming to Paris and encountering Vijaylaxmi opting for kurtis with jeans, peter pan collared tops with floral skirts and ending on a high note with a pastel pleated maxi jamming to the tunes. Who knew we’d spot a Sana Safinaz at the end too.
HIGHWAY
A classic example of Kashmir to Kanyakumari…the unusual road trip movie that spans across wide geographical maps, had Alia Bhatt as Veera and her kidnapper Randeep Hooda as Mahabeer play the protagonists so brilliantly that one forgot the aura they carried off screen. With influences of clothes in every region that they travelled into, the progression of Veera’s outfits was both logical and organic. From donning kurtas and pagris from her sweatpants to oversized pherans, jackets, shalwars and oversized shoes. It all made sense because she was on the go and was kidnapped. Alia looked unconcerned but put together as someone would making the best of with whatever they could find. Aki Narula keeps things simple and evolving subtly. Yet even in those oversized clothes, Alia Bhatt shone brilliantly portraying Stockholm syndrome to a T.
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