An interview with Manish Malhotra, designer of Alia Bhatt's chiffon saris in Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani, explores this iconic sartorial moment.Manish Malhotra, the ace designer and costume stylist, gives us an insight into the creation of this piece of cinematic history.
A burgeoning alliance exists between traditional Indian saris and cinema, which has graced screen time and again and left us with an overwhelming sense of belonging, awe, and pride at the same time. Through the unison of fashion and cinema, we have forged a cultural association that is deeply ingrained in our identity as a nation today—a country that embraces femininity, embraces classics, takes pride in itself, empowers through storytelling and dreams in vibrant hues and transformative tunes.
Over the course of generations, the six-yard staple has become a common link between Indian moviegoers. Whether it is Sridevi's blue sari, while dancing in the rain in Mr. India (1987), or Anushka Sharma's yellow sari against snowcapped mountains in Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (2016), the sari holds prime "reel" estate in Bollywood movies.
The actor Alia Bhatt takes us on a journey down memory lane of iconic looks draped in saris worn by Bollywood's most fashionable ladies in her recent movie Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani (2023). The sheer white sari she wore as Rani strongly recalled Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's pink version in Mohabbatein (2000), and her blue sari during the rain sequence was clearly a tribute to Sridevi's from Mr. India (1987). In the video, Bhatt wears a red sari while dancing with Ranveer Singh, who is wearing a houndstooth suit, reminiscent of Kajol's look in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998). In the movie, the actress wore more than 20 variations of the inimitable chiffon sari, and we chatted with the creative genius behind these looks, designer and costume stylist Manish Malhotra, about their inspiration and creation.