I had the misfortune of watching Kill Dil over the weekend. The movie was bleh, and Parineeti Chopra’s wardrobe was a major FASHION DISASTER. Styled by Aki Narula and Poorvi Mohan, her costumes were a poorly-done job. Surprising and disappointing, since this was supposed to be her most glamourous role yet (she plays Disha, a rich girl who drives a Ferrari). #EPICFAIL. BTW, the picture below is one of the rare moments in which she has been styled well.
There was one thing fundamentally wrong with her costumes in Kill Dil:
Parineeti Chopra was NOT dressed for her body type and size.
Two basic fashion and on-screen styling rules were broken.
Rule No 1: Firstly, the camera adds 10 pounds and the silver screen magnifies everything 10 times. So if there’s an extra centimeter here and there, it’s going to look like several inches.
Rule No 2: Second, as every aspiring stylist knows, ALWAYS dress for your body type. If you don’t, be prepared for a debacle.
Here’s my take on what comprised Parineeti Chopra’s fashion disaster in Kill Dil, and how the stylists could have done it better.
Tight and short dresses: In the song Happy Budday, Parineeti’s arm fat was spilling out from the strapline of her dress. Yep! Quite a sore sight. Much as I hate to say it, body-hugging dresses are meant for slimmer, petite women. While dozens of fashion brands sell bodycon dresses for larger sizes, most women cannot carry them off well.
Could be replaced with: Instead of these non-flattering silhouettes, Parineeti would have looked great in a sequined sheath dress or a well-fitted bustier with slim pants (without slippage!) for party nights.
Shorts and skirts with boots: The super-short shorts and mini skirts, paired with the thigh-high boots plumped up Parineeti’s calves and thighs, and that’s not a good thing. I believe girls of all sizes should wear what they want, but come on, not on the silver screen (check out Rule No 1 above).
Could be replaced with: Knee-length skirt dresses accessorised with pumps or ankle-length boots.
Tight choli, low-waist lehenga: The orange Diwali ensemble comprised a tight cropped blouse with a keyhole neckline, and a lehenga that showed way more than it should have. Parineeti’s role was of a super-rich hotshot’s daughter, not a wannabe trying too hard to look desirable. While the outfit was lovely, it was the wrong one for someone like Parineeti.
Could be replaced with: A heavy flowy anarkali or even a gorgeous lightly embellished sari would have looked great on Parineeti. Or the look could have been more tasteful with a strategically draped dupatta.
Round neck textured knit: Textured knits look great on skinny models but just look bulky on other women (especially the top-heavy ones). While the white sweater was cute, it wasn’t right for Parineeti.
Could be replaced with: Instead, Parineeti could have worn a V-neck lightweight knit in a darker colour for a refined look.
Crop top: A midriff-baring crop top with a mini skirt for a pear-shaped girl… seriously? Parineeti’s character Disha was a high-class Delhi girl, who’d know the difference between chic and Silk from The Dirty Picture.
Could be replaced with: High-waisted pants or skirt instead of the mini.
Given a chance, Parineeti Chopra would have looked lovely in these looks:
- Sharp blazers and jackets with black trousers (Parineeti wore a blazer briefly and totally rocked in it).
- Slim fit tops with skinny jeans.
- Delicately-printed blouses with pastel pants.
- Straight-cut dresses with interesting detailing like contrast collars, prints or belts.
PS- The only interesting accessory Parineeti wore in the movie was this ear cuff (see picture below).
Important note: I have nothing against Parineeti Chopra. I think she’s a talented actor—her confidence and dialogue delivery amazed me right from her debut film (Ladies vs Ricky Bahl). Like all other women, she can choose how she wants to look and what her weight/size should be. In fact, hats off to her for sticking to her “real” body weight despite Bollywood and media pressure. This blog post is not meant to offend or malign Parineeti Chopra, her friends and family, or her team, but is rather a wakeup call to the stylists who didn’t let the actor’s body shape decide the clothes (it was as if the clothes were selected for another actor and had to be forced on Parineeti). And a big thumbs-down to the director who let this happen. Also, a message to the production team from Yashraj Films—your movies are aesthetically designed, even when otherwise devoid of good content. DID NOT EXPECT this from the Yashraj banner.
All pictures courtesy: Yashrajfilms.com