The minute I received a phone call from Sanjay Leela Bhansali's office, I knew I was in for another National award," gushes fashion designer Reza Shariffi, who bagged the National award for the director's magnum opus Devdas and is now looking forward to Saawariya with as much fervour.
"Sanjay Leela Bhansali has a special place in my professional life because whenever he calls me for any work he instills a degree of rejuvenated confidence in me. He asks me to devise a look in minimum words and I deliver with minimum fuss. With him there is an unsaid pressure of delivering your best. He doesn't talk much but that is exactly what puts the onus," he explains.
Enter fashion designer Anuradha Vakil. "Initially there was hesitation. Largely, because I didn't see my work fitting into the genre of commercial films. I am known for my work in fashion which is deeply rooted in crafts. But when I went for the first meeting, I was bowled over by Sanjayji's vision," she says of Bhansali.
The two were entrusted with the massive responsibility of designing costumes for newbies Ranbir Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor (also Salman Khan and Rani Mukherji) for Bhansali's much awaited film.
Reza was asked to bring out the authenticity. "Primarily, I was asked to create Muslim, Anglo-Indian, Colonial British and some Hindu costumes in hues of blue and green. Ranbir Kapoor's costumes were mainly khakis, whites and maroons."
"Sanjay Leela Bhansali had already devised a look for Ranbir before he handed the assignment to me. I worked on the look from then onwards," he explains.
Text: Swati R Chaudhary
Also read: Saawariya: The review
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