Parineeti Chopra’s fashion disaster in Kill Dil

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.

Parineeti Chopra Kill Dil trench

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.

Parineeti Chopra dress in Kill Dil

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.

Parineeti Chopra Diwali in Kill Dil

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.

Parineeti Chopra in Kill Dil-  crop top

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).

Parineeti Chopra in Kill Dil

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

Chic 2012: The Bollywood Fashion Story

Chic 2012: The Bollywood Fashion Story

In the movies

Cocktail’s three lead actors’ looks, all styled by Anaita Shroff Adajania, were a major part of the pre-release publicity blitz. Everyone wanted to know about Diana Penty’s jumpsuit and Deepika Padukone’s skirt. And no one really asked much about Saif Ali Khan, because he looked too old to be in the movie.

Cocktail Fashion

No one cared much about the clothes in Ishaqzaade, though I found the costumes in the movie to be among the most intelligently designed in recent Bollywood history. I can’t imagine Parineeti Chopra’s character without the black waistcoat over a fitted kurta.

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The fashion in Jab Tak Hai Jaan and Student of the Year fell flat after high expectations. But where one lacked charm and romance, the latter’s mantra was “Brands, brands, brands” without a sensible story to tell.

Student of the Year

On the covers

The surprise fashion mag cover girl find of the year was Kalki Koechlin (Women’s Health in November and Vogue the following month), while editorial favourite Sonam Kapoor appeared in Roberto Cavalli yet again on the cover of Grazia. (Yawn).

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On the small screen

Amitabh Bachchan’s jackets and bandhgalas on Kaun Banega Crorepati were superbly elegant and finely tailored by Rohit Bal. Karan Johar donned casual- dressy blazers on Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, while Salman Khan’s Bigg Boss wardrobe was confusing (too many colours and styles).

Madhuri Dixit and Karan Johar in Jhalak Dikhla Ja

Most people loved Madhuri Dixit’s Jhalak Dikhla Jaa clothes and jewellery, and her stylist made it a point to dress the actor in outfits from various Indian designers. No bodycon dresses for her!

Surprise style icon

Sridevi had been under the fashion watchers’ radar for a while now, but in 2012 she surprised everyone with a new-found, elegant look, wearing Manish Malhotra and Sabyasachi. She wowed everyone when she walked for the latter in Delhi, a far cry from her stumbling ramp appearance in an ugly silver-grey gown for Neeta Lulla couple years ago.

Sridevi for Sabyasachi Couture Week 2012

Not (yet) an icon

Alia Bhatt may have had a big debut with Student of the Year, and appeared on two covers (Vogue and Grazia), but her personal style quotient was quite blah. The problem? She tried too hard to look cute.

Alia-Bhatt-in-Amit-GT-on-Grazia-India-December

Bollywood Fashion: Why Parineeti Chopra’s Ishaqzaade is intelligent costume design

Bollywood Fashion: Why Parineeti Chopra’s Ishaqzaade is intelligent costume design

I saw Ishaqzaade (starring Parineeti Chopra and Arjun Kapoor) recently, and was quite impressed with the delicacy shown to the costumes of the heroine Zoya. The costume designer (Varsha-Shilpa) and director’s (Habib Faisal) attention to detail is astounding, as everything Zoya wears, carries or drives defines her personality in a unique way. For instance, she drives an open jeep with confidence, fires a gun with brashness, and talks on her iPhone.

Parineeti Chopra-Ishaqzaade-4

Every element of Zoya’s wardrobe represented an important aspect of her personality and the urgency of the situation. Here’s a look at what stood out the most from Zoya’s wardrobe (and her character).

The black waistcoats

Zoya has no qualms about “borrowing” and altering her father’s black waistcoats for herself. As the darling of the family, she gets away with her gender-bending wardrobe.

Resourceful and tomboyish.

Parineeti Chopra-Ishaqzaade-1

Simple silhouettes

Simple cotton kurtas and tunics with skinny jeans and churidars define Zoya’s basic style statement. The silhouettes are straight-cut and easy to wear. So no kalidar kurtas, embellishments or heavy prints. The detailing is limited to block prints, chikan work and pleats.

Practical and fuss-free!

Comfort over fashion

When was the last time you noticed shoes in a movie? In Ishaqzaade, you most certainly do, because Zoya doesn’t wear pretty heels or sandals. Instead, she wears floaters as she campaigns for her father. Yes, floaters! And when she’s on the run, she’s in casual canvas shoes. No heels, bows or buckles.

She’s a girl ready for action.

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Yes gun, no gold

In her introductory scene, Zoya is seen checking out guns for herself. She finally selects one and pays for it with gold jhumkas! Now how many girls would barter jewellery they’re supposed to wear to a grand party for a gun?

Cheeky and fearless.

The all-important sharara

Zoya’s pink sharara paired with a blue dupatta is the outfit that marks important turning points in the movie (and her life). Both times she wears this pretty outfit are happy occasions become tragic milestones. Quite obviously, she opts to wear the outfit for her secret wedding ceremony, because it’s perhaps the only one of its kind that she has. And when tragedy struck after her wedding, I couldn’t help but feel that the outfit was an ill omen for the girl.

Who would think that a pretty outfit like that would spell the beginning of doom?

Parineeti Chopra-Ishaqzaade-3

What did you think of Parineeti Chopra’s costumes in Ishaqzaade?