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PIX: Bollywood slips into VINTAGE mode
Fashion is integral to Hindi cinema.
Even the most performance-oriented films are concerned about getting the right *look* of the characters, more so when the setting of the subject travels back in time.
Besides lending the silver screen a classic or retro vibe, costumes and accessories also influence contemporary trends.
Lately, our films seem to be bitten by the nostalgia bug with quite a few set either in the demure 1950s or swinging 1970s. Here’s tracing Bollywood’s love for all things vintage.
Lootera
Vikramaditya Motwane is already among the best films of 2013 if not THE best.
And in this 1950s romance drama loosely based on O Henry’s short story, The Last Leaf, Sonakshi Sinha looks like she belongs to the era of Vyjayanthimala and Nutan in her gorgeous weaves, delicate gold jewellery and old-fashioned blouses while her co-star Ranveer Singh opts for crisp liner shirts and high-waist trousers.
Gundey
Set in the 1970s, Ali Abbas Zafar’s Gundey plans to channel the fashion that defined the decade in the pretty saris of Priyanka Chopra and the flamboyant wardrobe of her co-stars -- Ranveer Singh and Arjun Kapoor.
Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai Dobaara
The Milan Luthria OUATIM franchise rests on bombastic dialogues and a lot of attitude in its actors. If the first installment was high on 1970s drama and jazz, the flashy and romantic razzmatazz of 1980s underlines the sequel.
Barfi!
Ranbir Kapoor’s stylish flat cap and printed shirts or Ileana D’Cruz colourful sweaters and bellbottoms are reminders of the groovy trends that dominated the fashion scene in the 1970s in Anurag Basu’s talked-about Barfi!.
Teri Meri Kahani
In Kunal Kohli’s three story romance featuring the same actors in every segment, one of them is set in 1960s Bollywood allowing both Priyanka Chopra and Shahid Kapoor to unleash the Mumtaz and Shammi Kapoor in inspired versions of their iconic costumes.
Action Replayy
Seventies is Bollywood’s favourite go-to decade. And in this shabby remake of Back to the Future, Akshay Kumar and Aishwarya Rai sport psychedelic, floral, polka dot prints, flared pants, mini skirts, bell sleeves and over-sized glasses to get the point across.
Parineeta
Taking a leaf out of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s page, the adaptation of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's literary works Parineeta bears no semblance to the plain charms of Bimal Roy’s 1953 film.
Vidya Balan drapes herself in pretty tussar silks while Saif Ali Khan echoes old-world aristocracy in classic suits and scarves.
Om Shanti Om
Given the entire premise of Om Shanti Om is around and about Bollywood from the 1970s to 2010s, the period bits showcase Deepika Padukone in retro get-ups inspired by the glamourous styling of Hema Malini, Leena Chandravarkar, Mumtaz and Helen while Shah Rukh Khan does a mix of Rajesh Khanna-Jeetendra in checkered jackets, pointed collars and white jeans.
Khoya Khoya Chand
Sudhir Mishra’s lovingly crafted Khoya Khoya Chand revisits the Hindi film industry during the 1950s and the characters of Soha Ali Khan, Shiney Ahuja and Soniya Jehan capture the elegant fashion and coy style of those times perfectly.
Devdas
Sanjay Leela Bhansali is synonymous with opulence. And so there’s nothing simple about his adaptation of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s Devdas. Especially stunning are the elaborate costumes, reminiscent of royalty in colonial times, worn by its regal heroines -- Aishwarya Rai and Madhuri Dixit.
Zubeidaa
Soft romantic curls and vintage style clothing contribute to Karisma Kapoor’s career-best performance as a disillusioned woman caught in a restrictive society in Shyam Benegal’s period drama, Zubeidaa.