In her column “Desi Deep Dives,” Siri Atluri ’28 explores South Asian media and the important cultural conversations we can generate from them.
Classic Bollywood is known for its extravagant cinematic shots, action scenes and choreographed musical numbers. Thus, extravagance is the subject of today’s column — specifically, extravagance in wardrobe.
Wardrobe has the power to shape the tone of a movie. With many earlier Bollywood fashion trends reentering the current South Asian cultural zeitgeist (such as early 2000s design trends and indo-western style), let’s take a look at some standout fashion ensembles presented in a few classic early 2000s Bollywood movies. Today, we’ll be looking back on pieces in “Devdas” (2002), “Khabi Kushi Khabi Gham” (2001) and “Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge” (1995).
Devdas
“Devdas,” a film by iconic Hindi film director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, is a dramatic epic of cinema. It is characterized by Bhansali’s signature opulence with glamorous sets, sweeping shots and dramatic emotional beats. This grandeur encompasses all aspects of the movie, including the wardrobe choices.
Many of the wardrobe pieces in “Devdas” feature ornate threading and beading work, as well as rich colors to help set the tone of the scene’s composition.
Take leading lady Paro (played by the stunning actress Aishwarya Rai) and an ethereal lavender ensemble she wears in a musical scene featuring her and Devdas (Shah Rukh Khan) in a misty forest setting. As they play and Paro gathers water from the river, flowy lavender fabric drapes over her in a cascading effect. The soft yet sparkly embroidery pattern spans across her “dupatta” (a long piece of cloth in Indian women’s clothing that’s usually draped over the shoulders), giving it a soft shimmer.
Another iconic look is Paro’s long, white and billowy sari. As she runs down cascading steps, the simple white cloth with red borders feels symbolic of Devdas’ impending doom; white can also be interpreted as an evocative color for a period of mourning in Hindu culture. The color choice for Paro’s sari in this dramatic ending scene foreshadows her grieving. Even with the simplicity of design for this piece, the camera focuses on her long white dupatta trailing behind her as she runs, and the drama of the spectacle prepares the audience for Devdas’ ominous fate.
I also quite enjoy Paro’s outfits from after her marriage. The heavy gold beading and threading of her blue ensemble set a more serious tone for her character as a grown woman, but it also may show how she feels weighed down by her environment. The darker hues additionally establish her matured character; the deeper purples and blues of the fabrics starkly contrast the lightness of the delicate threading and puff sleeves she dons earlier in the movie.
Additionally, I love the red and white sari combo worn by Paro and Chandramukhi (Madhuri Dixit) in the iconic dance duet “Dola Re Dola.” The red and white color combination, beaded and threaded with opulent gold, serves as a stunning yet traditional paired piece.
Khabi Kushi Khabi Gham
Another absolutely iconic early 2000s Bollywood film is “Khabi Kushi Khabi Gham.” And how can we mention “Khabi Kushi Khabi Gham” (K3G) without referencing the iconic Poo (Kareena Kapoor)?
Poo (a nickname for character Pooja Sharma, little sister of Anjali Sharma) is characterized by her signature hot pink Y2K style. She sports a lot of short skirts and hot pink, sparkly crop tops.
Poo’s wedding guest set interprets her Western style choices in the context of South Asian fashion. Her set is an ombre of soft pink hues, decorated with sparkly silver stitching. Her blouse is cropped asymmetrically. (It’s also… backless!)
Poo’s Sharara-esque ensemble always stood out to me. With her signature bubbly pink and asymmetrical cut, it is uniquely and unequivocally Poo. I think the combination of silver threading on the soft pink serves as a striking contrast. It’s so fun! It’s so Poo! Poo always wears something memorable — and don’t just take my word for it. This look was actually put on display for a Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC) collection titled “India in Fashion”!
I also love Naina Kapoor’s looks. Played by actress Rani Mukherji, Naina is a family friend of Rahul Raichand and is seen sporting pastel, shimmery lehengas, which include uniquely cut blouses and fully sequined skirts. Paired with Naina’s airy blowout, the outfits — even with all their glitz — still manage to feel light and chic. The cool and pastel wardrobe tones for the Raichand family’s grand functions convey their lavish status and mix traditional South Asian designs with the modern trends of the 2000s for a look that is distinctly K3G.
In contrast, Anjali — played by the actress Kajol — wears many bright colors, including greens, oranges and blues. I love the beading and overlay on her yellow kurti set in the musical number “Yeh Ladka Hai Allah,” as well as the glimmery patterning on Shah Rukh Khan’s long black kurta.
Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ)
You can’t talk about Bollywood without mentioning DDLJ.
Let’s start off with what is perhaps the movie’s most iconic look: a parrot green dress.
Who’d think solid parrot green would work as a color choice? Well, with Simran’s (Kajol) pre-wedding mehendi ceremony lehenga, it does. DDLJ featured solid colors and chiffon for Simran, but the golden thread work (or “zari”) on both of her wedding ensembles is stunning. The design around the neckline beautifully complements the bright green set, which, although striking as a color, also has an alluring depth to it on screen. This staple piece has also been put on display at the NMACC collection.
Simran’s gold wedding dress, which she wears in the iconic final scene where she runs to catch Raj on the train, is a more delicate color. The threading still provides detailed decoration, and the sheen of the gold fabric sparkles brilliantly along with the embroidery in the light.
Bonus: Simran’s teal satin halter neck dress! It complemented actress Kajol’s eyes beautifully.
DDLJ’s wardrobe choices contained an overall blend between Western fashion and traditional ensembles, perhaps relating to the theme of Indian cultural connection within the Western-Indian diaspora. Simran wears a red skater dress in one scene and a white kurti with a “chiffon chunni” (decorative scarf commonly worn with kurti sets) in another. I especially love some of the blended looks; orange denim feels South Asian in color and Western in fabric, especially when stylishly layered over a T-shirt with boots and glasses with round frames. Patterned scarves are paired with bold jackets. Overall, I love the blend of fashion in this movie, and I think it’s part of what makes its traditional wedding ensembles stand out.
What are some of your favorite classic Bollywood looks? As the 2000s style discussion continues, maybe you can get to reminiscing on some of your own favorites as well!
