From Roses To Courtesan Costumes, How Sanjay Leela Bhansali Crafts Grandeur In His Films
The grandeur!
Filmmaker/producer–Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s cinematic world is built using some important pillars. Count in his sets, lead heroines and of course his innate sense of fashion that has aged well with every next film. Iconic and grand in every detail, Bhansali’s lens put on movies is not like any other filmmaker in India. Sticking to his niche and making it his signature, has helped him carve his legendary spot in Indian cinema. The formula is fixed with grandeur, magic and moody colours that switch from dimly lit set designs to red roses in hair. What makes his onscreen muses a strong character, is not just their opinions but the ways in which she dresses.
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From taking the sequins, jewellery and textiles seriously to consciously collaborating with some of India’s most celebrated designers, the filmmaker has delivered a moment in style, that definitely is for the books. Like most Indian filmmakers, especially Yash Chopra, Bhansali confesses his love for strong female characters. Calling every woman–”queen,” the filmmaker is a true believer in putting the stories of women from all walks of life, on the billboard. Especially, his characters that dive into the world of courtesans, almost each of his films points at the deserved dignity of every woman, despite her job.
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As a student who learnt fashion over a period of four years, The Devil Wears Prada wasn’t as impactful, as much as a Bhansali universe impressed. It taught me the fierceness of fashion, the details and how textiles and colours can be appealing, and also reveal the appalling truth. Through Gangubai Kathiawadi, a tale that unbuttons the hardships of a sex worker’s daily dilemma, wears her white saree, with equal pride. From Alia Bhatt’s tidy white wardrobe in the film, we learn the contrast between her life and her undying strength. Her behaviour is instantly displayed through her romantic curls, her oxidised jewellery, her red bindi, a rose and her white sarees, adorned with tonal embroidery, that set her apart from the crowd. Bhansali makes sure to stitch these little details in the closets of his leading ladies.
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Going back in time, we see this sheer glimmer on his favourite women in films, who wore the brightest glitter, and tons of gold. From Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam‘s Aishwarya to her role in Devdas, she happily packages her magnificent looks with her whimsical blue eyes, through traditional fabrics, prints and motifs that draw the boundary between her and Chandramukhi’s cultural backgrounds. As Nandini, she keeps a bundle of bandhani, bright lehengas, and heirloom jewellery, to present a hint of her Gujarati roots. Designed by Neeta Lulla, and Shabina Khan, Rai’s costumes in the 1999 hit film, walked into the mood boards of women, who turned to her to dress up for occasions. What inspired people the most was her glistening blue lehenga from “Nimbooda,” and a vivacious lilac set from “Chaand Chhupa Badal Mein.”
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Later as the Bengali girl–Paro, she swiftly moves from her classic blue and red bordered sarees, and puff-shouldered blouses to traditional Bengali tant sarees. As the new bride, she layers tons of jewellery, including massive hair buns, prominent sindoor and big bindis.
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Contrary to her soft pleats and more royal colours, Madhuri Dixit’s character–Chandramukhi was the desirable courtesan. Inspired by the life of Hindu singer Meera, who devoted her life to Lord Krishna, Chandramukhi took care of Devdas like no other. Her illuminating outfits, mostly curated by designer duo–Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, were embroidered with real mirrors and involved colours that Paro would never wear. The parrot greens and gold jewellery instantly differentiated the two women and their characteristics for viewers.
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As Bhansali worked on projects that spoke about the tragedies of humankind, his sets became gloomier, but the grandeur was still intact. In his 2010 film–Guzaarish, Hrithik Roshan played the role of magician–Ethan, a quadriplegic, who files a petition for euthanasia. Starring opposite Roshan was Aishwarya Rai Bachchan who played the role of Sofia D’Souza, a nurse from Goa. The weight of her layered skirts, and bold black colours, combined with hints of red, envelope her feelings. Designed by Sabyasachi Mukherjee, the costumes of the film, could not be defined as just–”vintage.” Infusing his love for the colour red, Sabyasachi weaved a somewhat old-world nostalgia, with pale apron designs, victorian prints, tulle skirts, and the significant usage of a red rose in her hair. An intentional approach was taken by the designer and filmmaker, to present her cultural Goan roots, like a woman living in the world of Shakespeare.
What Bhansali attempts this time, is something unique, but still familiar with his signature opulence. With solid colours, red lipsticks and a victorian aesthetic, he adds more depth to every costume, like the lives of the wearers. After playing in the dark, with films like–Black, and Saawariya, which did not do well on the box office, Bhansali returned to a territory, he knows the best.
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It is later in 2013, that he manages to recreate the magic of Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, with love at its core. For this new era in his filmography, he appoints Deepika Padukone, and Ranveer Singh, who after the grand success, continued to work in his two succeeding films. Now a married couple, Padukone and Singh’s brewing romance on the sets of Ram-Leela, was somewhat visible on the big screen and on the media tour that they would often take together. In the film’s blasting bright aesthetic, they seemed like the perfect fit. This masala entertainer about family rivalries, and love, was again packaged with the Bhansali nuance, reminiscent of Gujarati ghagharas and colours. This folk love story was visually designed by designer–Anju Modi, who is known for her prowess in designing costumes for period dramas. What struck a chord with costumes this time, were Leela’s ghaghara cholis, bandhani skirts, tie-dyed dupattas, and shoulder-grazing chaand baalis.
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Padukone as the lead was a vision in multi-coloured outfits, that women ran to get a version of, from their tailor bhaiya. Ranveer as Ram was hot, and a hoarder of traditional Kediya, which he would style with tacky denim jeans. The two portrayed the interior world of Gujarat. Next, in 2015, swamped with the success of Ram-Leela, the couple joined Bhansali in a period drama. Bajirao Mastani, explored the stories of infidelity, monogamy, and wars. The film beautifully captured the universe of 1700–1740 AD, through costumes, kingdoms and castles.
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For the task of dressing his characters, Bhansali again appointed Anju Modi, who masterfully crafted the iconic, Mastani gold outfit. Throughout the film, Deepika was a vision in hand-embroidered dupattas, regal Mughal jewellery, passas, and more. Through their journeys in the deep pockets of Maharashtra, both Bhansali and Modi, got home their tools, to shape every character closet. Highlighting her Muslim heritage, Mastani, was aesthetically different from Bajirao’s wife–Kashibai, who authentically wore her Maharashtrian roots. Everything was garnished with the opulence, that Bhansali is known for.
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A similar, period drama followed Bajirao Mastani, with the release of his highly controversial film–Padmaavat. With Deepika playing the titular character, her favourite co-star and husband played the antagonist and won hearts. Costumes describing the Rajasthani culture, set in Chittorgarh Fort, were spectacular from every angle. For the costumes, SLB this time trusted designer duo–Rimple And Harpreet to dress his lead characters. The spectacular details in Shahid Kapoor’s turban to Deepika Padukone’s borla and Ranveer Singh’s Khilji crown promised the true portrayal of the era. From antique jewellery, and Padmaavat’s unibrow to Khilji’s rugged look, the designs successfully overpowered the controversies and protests. The world envisioned by Bhansali was again historically relevant and strived to authentically portray the realities. Like all his previous films, Padmaavat as the SLB leading lady was powerful and equally feminine.
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After his love for period dramas slowed down, he aimed to explore his ever-blooming curiosity about the lives of courtesans. With Gangubai Kathiawadi, the director paid homage to Chandramukhi (Devdas), and Gulab ji (Saawariya). This time, he welcomed Alia Bhatt into the world of Kamathipura, which takes a special spot in his heart. Having seen the realities of the place, while growing up, Bhansali finally poured his heart out in Gangubai Kathiawadi, a social activist and sex worker from Kamathipura in the 60s. Playing the role of the real-life hero, was Alia Bhatt, who impressed her fans with her craft, and swan-like sarees.
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Through the narrative, and promotions of the film, Bhatt and her director pushed us to fall in love with white, and its million shades. As described by Gangu herself, white like the clouds, and white like the sky, were as different as each of her sarees. From tonal white threads, used for her initial days in the brothel to using a shining red border, to display a sense of pride and victory, in the last scene, her sarees gradually evolved with time, as her character turned fierce each passing day. The colours of her lipsticks were indicators of her angst, which shifted to darker hues for an impactful speech to soft colours around her friends from the brothel.
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Also Read: ‘Heeramandi:’ Bhansali’s Netflix Series Unveils First Look Of Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, And More
Designed by Sheetal Sharma, the film reintroduced the colour white and gave it a different meaning. As someone who came on board with no clue about Bhatt’s casting in the film, Sharma researched and loaned inspiration from old Bollywood films and characters to create a sample for Sanjay Leela Bhansali. As per the colour palette curated by the director, white was equally poetic and an indicator of the power Gangubai held. Unlike most directors, Bhansali would sit with every department behind the film, to create a mood board. Which is what binds every element together and alines with his vision.
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Also Read: BFI Curator: I Would Vote For Alia Bhatt’s Gangubai Kathiawadi In BAFTA
The director’s next project for Netflix takes a deeper route into the lives of six courtesans. The first look of the series–Heeramandi, starring Sonakshi Sinha, Manisha Koirala, Sanjeeda Shaikh, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, and Sharmin Segal, was recently dropped during an interactive segment between Bhansali and Netflix CEO. The two posters reveal the six women in shades of gold and black, with a special mention given to the director’s years-old romance with the red rose. Matching the aesthetic of all his films, the rose that was earlier visible in the hair of Sofia, Gulab ji, Mastani, and Gangubai Kathiawadi, resurfaced in the posters.
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Through stories that put women in a higher spot than their male counterparts in the film, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s legacy will always be remembered by the women who shouldered his films. This is exactly why working with him, is a dream of every Bollywood star.
Here’s wishing him a happy birthday!
Image Credits: Instagram
