Bollywood Fashion: Deewana is a WILD ride

After watching Deewar couple weeks ago for a writing workshop, I had a sudden urge to re-watch old Hindi films. And so, last evening, while the baby slept, I opened Prime Video and tapped on Deewana.

Why Deewana?

Partly because it’s Shah Rukh Khan’s debut feature film and partly because I was in the mood for a typical 90s drama. Okay, but mostly because it’s got Shah Rukh Khan.

Anyway, even as I got lost in the endless string of songs and the villainy of Amrish Puri and the classic desi mom-ness of Sushma Seth, I couldn’t help but notice the distinct style differences between the 1990s and today.

Old habits die hard, right?

So here’s a revisit to 1990s fashion from the Deewana lens.

Rishi Kapoor

Rishi Kapoor’s (Ravi in the film) costumes were a mixed (err.. confusing) bag of styles, like these:

  • Head-to-toe white with a multihued jacket lining, that was also embellished with white sequins. The look was completed with white shoes and sunglasses.
  • Outrageous printed shirts
  • Big striped and patchwork-type sweaters with dark trousers
Deewana- Rishi Kapoor dressed in white suit and shoes
Rishi Kapoor in all-white

Shah Rukh Khan

Shah Rukh Khan’s clothes in Deewana were more interesting than Rishi Kapoor’s, but sadly, the designers fell short of a cohesive look. Most of his clothes made Shah Rukh Khan’s character Raja look seem older than his on-screen age. A young, wealthy brat would be in slightly flashier clothes, that would grab attention and exude confidence.

Key looks:

In his introductory song Koi Na Koi Chahiye, Shah Rukh Khan donned a brown leather jacket, and this became a defining on-screen look for him for many years (remember the black jacket in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge?).

In the rest of the film, he wore oversized shirts with loose sleeves and high waisted jeans, often paired with a prominent belt and matching buckle. And oh, those dull colours—browns and greys. Eeeks.  

In true Bollywood fashion, the dream song sequence had the most unusual costume choices. So, in the cornerstone song Aisi Deewangi Dekhi Nahi, Shah Rukh Khan wears the most outrageous ensembles. Think teal shirt with teal trousers, a fully-blue suit (without tie, thank god), and a black and white polka dotted cravat!

Shah Rukh Khan in white suit and dotted cravat in Deewana, with Divya Bharti.
Shah Rukh Khan in white suit and dotted cravat in Deewana, with Divya Bharti.

As for the hair, it was long-ish, as was the fashion those days, though I’m not sure I dig it.

Divya Bharti

Divya Bharti as Kajal donned a wide range of ensembles in the film. As a single girl smitten with singing sensation Ravi (Rishi Kapoor) she wore simple salwar suits and some skirts. As soon as she was married though, she became a wealthy family’s bahu, wearing mostly saris of rich fabrics and embroideries. I especially liked the green sari which she wore in a pivotal sequence just before the intermission.

But once injured Ravi tumbled down a waterfall, Kajal had to adopt a widow’s attire. The white-wearing widow is not a custom I agree with, though it’s still practised in some part of the country. Depriving women of clothing (and other choices) is just another form of patriarchal oppression.

In her no-colour-no-makeup phase, she’s donning the nude look, with blush, pink eye shadow and pearl finish nude lip colour. In several scenes, she’s wearing loads of eye liner as well.

But her wardrobe comes to life again, after she marries Raja. So in the rest of the film you will see her in puffed sleeves tops, blouses and kurtas. Plus, lots of makeup and jewellery.

Her go-to accessories seem to be big gold earrings and gold kitten heels.  

Divya Bharti wearing black blouse and retro gold earrings in Deewana
Divya Bharti wearing black blouse and retro gold earrings in Deewana

As for makeup, Divya Bharti’s look featured carefully coordinated lip colours and bindis with wavy hair, reminiscent of a perm. The biggest surprise though were her French braids. They were super cute, and reminded me of my childhood, when I would wonder how girls made those complicated hair style (there was no YouTube then).

But her costumes sparkle in the song sequences, especially when she’s suddenly in “western” clothes.  Her clothes were carefully selected to suit her petite frame, and she carried them off with great confidence and flair.

Divya Bharti wearing blouse and skirt and Shah Rukh Khan wearing all-blue suit in Deewana
Divya Bharti wearing blouse and skirt and Shah Rukh Khan wearing all-blue suit in Deewana

There were bold colours like orange and smart silhouettes like tight, short skirts and glam off-the-shoulder blouses. Those were major drool moments for me!

5 hot fashion lessons from Shahrukh Khan & Kajol

I’m an SRK fan, so despite the wonderful reviews (heh!) by critics and FB friends, I headed to downtown Yangon to watch Dilwale last weekend. The show was housefull and ticket scalpers were making good money. I was mostly interested in the Kajol-SRK on-screen romance, and their crackling chemistry and emotive eyes are the only bits of the film that I liked, even though it was shoddily scripted and directed. Anyways, somewhere amidst the plot twists, overtly-comical characters and extreme suspension of disbelief, I picked up some fashion tips from Shahrukh Khan and Kajol (or Kaali/ Raj and Meera).

Even if you abhorred the film or won’t watch it for a million dollars, these style lessons will hopefully inspire a tiny style upgrade or whole new look.

BTW, there is not one, not two but FOUR costume designers credited in the film so I have no idea who did the clothes for Shahrukh Khan and Kajol. If you do, let me know!

Lesson 1: Match your jacket with your shirt

SRK in Dilwale blue jacket

Jackets that match your shirt are the ultimate cool in men’s fashion. Just like what SRK’s wearing in the Bulgaria flashback. I say it’s the “ultimate cool” because it looks oh-so-mature and contrasts is so college-boyish (remember Kuch Kuch Hota Hai?). SRK sticks to black, grey and other muted colours, portraying a very chic European look.

Lesson 2: Skip the skinny

SRK in Dilwale blue jeans

So skinny jeans are all about showing off your shapely legs and there’s no doubt that SRK is superfit. But he’s dunked skinny jeans and chosen to wear straight fits instead. Why? Here’s a secret: skinny jeans are on their way out the trend door, especially since everyone and their grandma is wearing them. Meanwhile, jean legs are getting wider for both men and women and straight-fit denims or a slightly-flared bootcut is what you should wear like, right now, if you want to be fashion-forward.

Lesson 3: Go long if you’re a pear

Kajol in Dilwale

What do you do when you’re heavy in the lower half, but still want to look great on screen? One, you create the illusion of a waistline, and two, you go for longer lengths. So Kajol’s worn some gorgeous printed midi skirts- they cut off at just the right section of the waist, and they draw attention away from the bottom. Paired with blouses and sky-high heels, Kajol is rocking these skirts. And oh, she wears a printed maxi dress in a Goa scene. Fabulous!

Lesson 4: Smart blouses should be your daytime LBD

Kajol in Dilwale

I’ve always thought smart buttoned blouses to be a highly underrated garment. It makes anyone, and I mean anyone, look feminine, sophisticated and classy. If the blouse is a solid pastel, even more so. I especially loved Kajol’s gold-smuggling accident outfit- jeans, light peach blouse and matching open cardigan. Paired with a strong lip colour and pulled-back hair, it’s an easy peasy way to elegant style.

Lesson 5: Neutrals are nice

SRK Kajol in Dilwale

When in Europe, dress as the Europeans. Their colour palette may seem more restricted than ours, but even neutral tones can translate to great clothes if you pick the right garments and style your ensemble well. While SRK sticks to black and greys, Kajol opts for light pastels and blues, though she also adds some colour with her printed skirts.

BONUS: A lesson in colour: Less is more

Alas, the colour scheme changes drastically when they move to India (including the set design!) and the tad bit of tastefulness disappears as dozens of bright colours pop everywhere, even in SRK’s garage. Too many colours. Sigh! And then one day SRK heads to church in a parrot green shirt with matching jacket. Urghhh…. Why, why, why?!

1000 Weeks of DDLJ: Thank you for the fashion!

The most epic romantic movie ever Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge hit theatres when I was 11 years old. I fell in love with it and watched it multiple times. The movie made me believe in love and a special someone and I hoped to meet my Raj some day. Thankfully, I did. 🙂

DDLJ_Movie_Post_01

DDLJ became an instant classic, and since its release dozens of film makers have been “inspired” by the film. Among other areas, DDLJ made a big impact on Indian fashion as well. Thousands of women flocked to their tailors to get clothes like Kajol and flocked to sari shops to buy shaded saris (typical Yashraj!). But from all the costumes that were made, here’s what I loved the most.

Kajol’s mehendi outfit: Pre-DDLJ, the bride rarely wore green for her mehendi function. Then Manish Malhotra dressed Kajol in bright green from top to toe. Since then, green has become the colour of choice for mehendi functions across India, by the bride, her family and guests. I wore a green outfit to my mehendi too. 😉

DDLJ_Movie_fashion

Shahrukh Khan’s leather jacket: Leather jackets are perfect for continental weather but don’t really work for India. Who cares? After Shahrukh Khan sported black and brown leather jacket, young men across India wanted to wear one too, hoping it would impress the ladies. Remember Varun Dhawan in Humpty Sharma ki Dulhania? I had never taken a leather jacket seriously either, but now I think they’re sexy!

DDLJ_Movie_Post_04

Kajol’s backless dress: Backless gown?! Woah! The only women who’d earlier revealed their back were the “dancing girls” from the 60s and 70s, but never the female protagonist. The backless gown in the song Ruk Ja was Simran’s way of asserting her independence and just being a modern European girl, despite having a “traditional” Indian family. The result? Backless dresses, backless gowns, backless cholis and blouses across India…. we’ve seen them all. (Note: Of course, Madhuri Dixit’s backless purple blouse in Hum Aapke Hain Kaun also this trend gain popularity).

And here are some trends I would like to bring back.

Dresses and boots: A very hot 90s trend, Kajol rocked the look with her long dresses and boots. They were stylish yet comfortable, modern yet conservative enough to be worn around her father. Sadly, this trend disappeared soon after. Let’s bring it back!

DDLJ_Movie_Post_02

Geeky chic: Kajol wore thick-rimmed glasses and spent a good amount of time with her nose buried in a book. While this didn’t kick off a spectacles-toting trend (Indians don’t like bespectacled women), I would love if glasses became a style statement. So geeky bookworms like me would finally be appreciated!

Hats: Shahrukh Khan wore a fedora with a feather(!) and Kajol wore a flat beret. Both actors carried off their head gear with elan, so why can’t we?

All pictures courtesy: Yashraj Films

Get Deepika Padukone’s top fashion trends from HNY

The Diwali release of this year Happy New Year starring Deepika Padukone, Shahrukh Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, has several fashion trends to watch out for.

Styled by veteran fashion designer Manish Malhotra, Deepika Padukone is mostly seen in “performance” outfits, which mostly feature bling and shine. And then there a few hot fashion trends have been incorporated into Deepika’s wardrobe in the movie. Here are the trends, and where you can buy the looks.

Crop tops

You need a sexy midriff like Deepika’s to carry off a crop top. These super-short tees and tops are best worn with high-waist jeans or pants and a cool belt. Deepika paired her crop tops with track pants and dhoti pants for dance rehearsal.

Get the trend from: AND, Forever 21 (Below: Mint crop top from AND)

AND Mint Panel Crop Top- Deepika in HNY

Printed kurtas

Prints on ethnic Indian wear are not restricted to paisleys and Indian flowers anymore—there are bold multi-hued florals, abstracts, geometric patterns and even African tribal prints on kurtas now. I especially loved Deepika’s white kurta with a bright floral splash.

Get the trend from: Zovi (Below: Geometric printed kurta from Zovi)

Zovi geometric kurta

Refreshing colour palette

Like any feel-good Bollywood movie, the colours were bright and happy. Deepika’s off-stage kurtas and tees are from the citrus family- lemon and orange, with a hint of peach.

Get the trend from: Mango (Below: Pleated top from Mango).

Mango yellow top- Happy New Year

Deepika Padukone’s best outfit in Happy New Year:

It was the hands-down winner- the blue bustier top and embellished skirt Deepika wore to a party (in the song Indiawaale). Very glam, very MM!

Deepika Padukone in blue Indiawaale

Bollywood Fashion: Key pieces from Jab Tak Hai Jaan (and how to wear them)

Bollywood Fashion: Key pieces from Jab Tak Hai Jaan (and how to wear them)

Monotone outfits

Worn by: Katrina Kaif

As a British upper class business woman who moves around in a chauffer-driven Rolls Royce, Katrina Kaif’s character Meera’s style is a modern take on elegance. She sticks to simple silhouettes and colours, with almost zero feminine frills.

Jab Tak Hai Jaan- Katrina Kaif

How to wear:

Opt for comfortable A-line and shift silhouettes in knee-length dresses and coats. Choose bold colours like red, blue and green. Make sure there is only one eye-catching colour in your ensemble.

Where to buy: Coat from United Colors of Benetton, dress from Sisley

Coat from UCB Dress from Sisley

Jackets- puffed and leather

Worn by: Katrina Kaif, Anushka Sharma, Shahrukh Khan

Jab Tak Hai Jaan Katrina Kaif

Katrina covers up a Manish Malhotra lehenga on a snowy day with a bright red quilted anorak, while both women wear vintage-style leather jackets on different occasions. Meanwhile, Shahrukh Khan’s jackets are limited to light woollens and vests in muted colours like grey and dark blue.

Jab Tak Hai Jaan Shahrukh Khan Katrina Kaif

How to wear:

You can wear your winter jackets over anything and everything…. go crazy!

Where to buy: Calvin Klein Jeans (women’s jacket), Mango (women’s anorak), Celio (men’s jacket)

Jacket- Calvin Klein JeansMango feather quilted anorak 4590CELIO_Pulana

Boots for women

Worn by: Katrina Kaif, Anushka Sharma

While Katrina pairs knee-length boots with short skirts in winter (really!), Anushka Sharma wears outdoorsy laced boots meant for camping.

How to wear:

Very few women can carry off knee-length boots, so I suggest ankle and calf-length boots with jeans instead. The laced heavy boots are for the adventurous types or those living in the mountains.

Where to buy: Vanilla Moon, Steve Madden

Vanilla Moon boots-WALLIS-GINGER Steve Madden Troopah Tan leather

 

Military camouflage pants

Worn by: Shahrukh Khan

Jab Tak Hai Jaan Shahrukh Khan

He’s an army man, it’s standard issue.

How to wear: Military detailing and camouflage prints were a hot trend couple years ago, but they are always around if look carefully. Pair military print pants with plain tees in earth tones like olive green, mud brown and black.

Where to buy: Zara (men and women)

Zara camouflage chinos 3790 Zara camouflage trousers 3790

Winter checks

Worn by: Shahrukh Khan

SRK in Jab Tak Hai Jaan

How to wear:

Look out for checks in dark colours like blue, grey and dark green, and shirts in heavier fabrics like twill. Details like elbow patches and contrast pockets will add a fun twist to classic checks. Pair with jeans, chinos and trousers.

Where to buy: French Conection, Allen Solly

FC grapple twill check shirt 2999Allen Solly check shirt

 

Snoods & scarves

Worn by: Shahrukh Khan, Katrina Kaif, Anushka Sharma

Jab Tak Hai Jaan Shahrukh Khan

Mufflers, scarves, snoods, in solids and prints, cotton and wool- they were all there in the movie. The lead actors all wore their scarves differently from the others.

Jab Tak Hai Jaan Anushka Sharma

How to wear:

Choose the type of scarf depending on the weather in your city (wool or cotton) and how you plan to wear it (as a fun accessory or to keep warm). There are great stripes, shiny, metallic finishes, prints and colours for every fashion personality!

Where to buy: Esprit and French Connection for women’s and scarves, men’s scarves at Celio (bottom)

 

Esprit IC6245FC Twinkle Me Lurex Snood 2299

CELIO_Pirouett

Bollywood Fashion: Shahrukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan wear velvet on KBC

Bollywood Fashion: Shahrukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan wear velvet on KBC

Now here’s a Bollywood and TV fashion trend we didn’t see coming: Shahrukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan wearing velvet on consecutive episodes of Panchkoti Mahamani Kaun Banega Crorepati!

On Thursday October 20, Shahrukh Khan played KBC with Big B wearing a black velvet waistcoat over a classic white shirt and black trousers, along with his oversized watch and still-cute dimples. We couldn’t help but be charmed with his self-deprecating humour and the ease with which he wore velvet.

ShahRukh Khan in KBC5

The following Monday (October 24), host Amitabh Bachchan appeared in velvet, though wearing it in a completely different way. While the shirt’s yoke had horizontal pleat detailing, the rest of the shirt was completely velvet. Take a look:

Amitabh Bachchan in KBC 5

FYI, Mr Bachchan’s wardrobe designer for KBC 5 is by Delhi-based designer Rohit Bal.

This is not the first time Amitabh Bachcan has worn velvet on KBC. We spotted him in the premiere of KBC 4 in a velvet suit designed by Vikram Phadnis.

The inevitable question here is: will velvet become a larger trend among men, or will it remain restricted to ramp shows and Bollywood stars?

What do you think of the velvet trend, especially for men?

Bollywood Fashion: Chammak challo Kareena Kapoor shows us how to be a Diwali phataka

Bollywood Fashion: Chammak challo Kareena Kapoor shows us how to be a Diwali phataka

Happy Diwali, lovely readers! May you be as chic as Kareena Kapoor (or your favourite fashion icon)!

Ra.One releases today, and there’s no doubt that Kareena Kapoor’s Chammak Challo will be as big a draw as G.One’s superpowers. I’ve spent weeks trying to understand the secret behind Kareena’s gorgeousness in the song, and I think I’ve finally cracked the code. It’s all about the fashion!

Kareena Kapoor in RaOne

Kareena’s mindboggling curves have no doubt added a major oomph to her look, but let’s not underestimate the power of fashion to make you sexy. Especially when Manish Malhotra is the man behind the clothes.

After hours of painstaking notes, I’ve drawn some fashion tips from the Diwali phataka. Use these easy-to-follow fashion tips to show off your sexy side!

Fashion tip 1: Wear red

Manish Malhotra has dressed Kareena in an attention-grabbing colour and it’s a colour that suits her. The colour that suits you could be deep blue, purple or hot pink.

Fashion tip 2: The outfit is simple yet chic

The pre-stitched sari (or shall I say half-sari?) designed by Manish Malhotra has minimal embellishment, along the border. The focus is on enhancing Kareena’s body shape rather than making her look like an OTT diva or queen.

Fashion tip 3: Cover up, but only so much

The semi-sheer blouse Kareena wears is only half the story. As the song begins, Kareena’s wafer-thin pallu is firmly in place, till she decides to tuck it into her sari. You don’t need to go all-sheer to show off your figure, but just peek-a-boo at the right places could work wonders.

Fashion tip 4: Accessorise to your advantage

Kareena Kapoor’s sex appeal is enhanced with the choice of jewellery. The absence of a necklace draws attention to her collarbones, and the dangling earrings and nose ring pull you toward her face which is absolutely gorgeous. (Intensely-lined eyes, light lips).

Kareena Kapoor in Ra.One song

Tip 5: Set a trend

It’s been ages since I saw a young woman (who is not a bride) wear a bindi, and someone even told me that bindis are “out of fashion”. We hope Kareena’s bindi will make the humble red dot popular again!

Stay chic!

Bollywood Fashion: Shahrukh Khan’s got contrasting looks in Don 2

Shahrukh Khan looked haggard, gaunt and almost repulsive on the cover of Bombay Times this Monday. His hair was long, dishevelled and tied up, he was unshaved, and he was in a prisoner’s uniform. In another photo (see below), he sports a tattoo on his right arm. Certainly not the Shahrukh we’re so used to.

Don2 Shahrukh Khan

We suspect that’s how Shahrukh will look in the early scenes of Don 2: The Chase Continues (releases December 2011).

After Don escapes from prison, and cops chase him around the world (including Berlin), the gangster will be back to his conniving ways and his preferred style. Calling it a stark contrast would be an understatement, right?

Don 2 Shahrukh Khan

Shahrukh Khan is formal, though he’s not wearing a suit. The stylist/ costume designer (we’re still trying to figure out who it is) has layered several textures in varying shades of grey. The garments have been tailored to make the already-fit Shahrukh aka Don look sleeker. And the trench coat is just to die for—can’t remember the last time Shahrukh Khan wore one on-screen. It’s the perfect touch to the 21st century, sophisticated gangster look.

Meanwhile, Don covers his evil eyes with sunglasses and sports a haircut that is full on the crown and slightly spiked (we suspect it’s Adhuna Bhabani-Akhtar/ her B:Blunt team behind the hair style). And oh, he’s clean-shaven. Yay to that!

In two words: We like!

Bollywood Fashion: SRK wipes us out with his sharp suit and cute dimples

I confess: I love Shahrukh Khan. So if he’s on TV, I have to watch. In the first episode of his just-launched TV show Zor Ka Jhatka Total Wipeout on NDTV Imagine, Shahrukh Khan wore a slim-fitted black suit with a twist.

See it here:

ShahRukh Khan Zor ka jhatka suit Shahrukh Khan Zor ka Jhatka suit

Shahrukh is wearing a white shirt with a black collar, and has paired it with a black tie. That’s an interesting twist to an otherwise classically formal wardrobe.

On Wednesday night, Shahrukh wore a suit, without the tie, and left his collar unbuttoned to show a hint of dual-toned element of his shirt (the row of buttons placed on a strip of black).

So while Zor ka Jhatka is riddled with a poor script, bad puns and a complete waste of Argentina (where it’s being filmed), King Khan’s experimental sartorial choices (and cutesy dimples) add some life. And these might just be the only saving grace of this otherwise dull show.

Bad Ads: Stars don’t shine!

[tweetmeme source=”spkngchic” only_single=false]

Mango and Dolce & Gabbana may be as different as chalk and cheese (one high street, the other a luxury brand), but both have got one thing in common—theirs are the chicest print campaigns this season. (See the Mango catalogue photos here and Madonna as housewife here). Both have got the casting right. And the photography, the wonderful clothes, and the art.

These campaigns befit the star status of these successful, gorgeous women—it’s money well-spent! But closer home, I can’t remember the last time a celeb fashion campaign made me go “Wow!”

Okay, that’s partly because our actors are busy endorsing fairness creams, biscuits and tea, but the few that sell clothes are part of banal and boring campaigns. Cases in point: Amitabh Bachchan’s Reid & Taylor TV spot that had ghosts, and Shahrukh Khan’s insipid Belmonte advertisement.

What I did somewhat like was Hrithik Roshan in Provogue’s print campaign. The handsome actor’s unconventional look  and intensity give a much-needed break from shaven chests and chocolate boy looks. Check out his “I-don’t-care” attitude in this print ad. (He may look fugly here, but that’s kinda the point, right?)

Hrithik_Provogue

Speaking Chic wonders why we can’t make a star campaign really shine. There are plenty of big-budget campaigns and no dearth of talented creative  admen, photographers, directors etc, so why should the Indian public suffer from commonplace campaigns with their favourite actors? And besides, fashion and clothes should have an aesthetic appeal to make them saleable, right?  

Speaking Chic’s advice to fashion, clothing and luxury brands in India: Keep a chunk of your budget to get the your creatives right. We’re tired of our cricket captain MS Dhoni looking uncomfortable in Big Bazaar clothes.

Loved a fashion/ clothing campaign with your fave star? Tell us!

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