Costumes in Bollywood have lengthy been eye sweet—designed to dazzle, pattern, and promote. However during the last decade, a quiet revolution has been reshaping this notion. At present, wardrobes are not simply ornamental; they’re deliberate, deeply researched extensions of the script. From socio-economic markers to emotional cues, costumes in Hindi movies have gotten highly effective instruments of storytelling—usually saying greater than dialogue itself.From Trend to Perform: The Rise of Character-First TypeCostume design in Bollywood has advanced from glamour-driven spectacle to immersive storytelling. Designers like Poornamrita Singh and Arjun Bhasin redefined this strategy in Gully Boy (2019). Murad’s look—a mixture of streetwear knock-offs, ragged hoodies, faux Adidas sneakers, surma, and talismans—visually anchored him in Dharavi’s actuality and mirrored his emotional journey from underdog to underground icon.Equally, in Gangubai Kathiawadi (2022), designer Sheetal Sharma wove character arc into each look. From monochrome sarees with gold-buttoned blouses to elaborate Kathiawadi jewelry, even the best way Alia Bhatt draped her pallu signaled Gangu’s transformation—from brothel woman to mafia matriarch.The New Collaborators: Designing in Sync with Administrators and ActorsBollywood’s costuming course of is now an ensemble effort. Designers are not introduced in simply to decorate stars—they’re embedded early into the artistic course of, changing into a part of the visible storytelling workforce.Costume Designer Amritha Ram, who labored on Thug Life with Kamal Haasan and director Mani Ratnam, shared with ETimes her detailed technique of crafting appears to be like that hint the protagonist’s journey from youth to emotional and bodily transformation. In her personal phrases:“So with this movie, I had three totally different levels of his character, and every stage was very clear. The primary one was a really younger look—it was a 90s look. So we centered on tones and all the pieces, and it turned out to work effectively.The second and third appears to be like have been crucial. You progress from the youthful look to the middle-aged look the place he resides in Delhi. We checked out what a thug would usually put on in Delhi. Mani sir was very clear about retaining it minimal—not over-exaggerating or including an excessive amount of. He stated Kamal sir’s character speaks for itself. He’s an actor who must be saved completely minimalistic.
So we added one signature watch. Again then, digital watches have been actually trendy and simply accessible within the black markets and bazaars, so we gave him a capsule digital watch—which you will observe within the re-evaluation. Initially, he wears a gold watch that he presents to Mr Simbu. Then, after he will get again from jail, we go together with the digital watch and a quite simple, understated khada. Not the common one, however one thing barely related—we saved it quite simple and clear.All the pieces else is simply what you see—all of it fell into place. The color palettes have been designed to be very impartial—white, beige, brown—and naturally, midnight blue and black. We used heat and funky tones for that specific look, and hair that went with it. Mani sir had even given me an illustration of how he needed all the pieces else to look other than the garments.How Mani sir works is—first I give you a dressing up board, then we sit and work on it collectively. He picks what he needs, after which we go forward and make all the pieces. Then we’ve a trial day—which is greater than only a trial day. It’s a day we finalize the appears to be like. We strive all the pieces on Kamal sir, Mani sir takes footage, after which we shortlist. There is perhaps yet another spherical, or we could finish it there. By the point we attain the shoot, we all know precisely what we wish. Auditions and improvs are at all times there, however most of it’s set—and if we have to do one thing additional, we all know what that is perhaps.
Look three follows the character’s journey utterly. He’s in Nepal, untamed—his beard grows greater and wider. He grows his hair lengthy and textured. We tried so much with the hair. For the aesthetic, we checked out what comes from Nepal. It needed to be understated however very relaxed.I ready a board once more, and sir went by it. We had two days of shoot for this look. On the primary day, we made a set of outfits, tried them out, after which the director selected a bunch. We labored extra on these. For this look, we selected “no coloration”—you’ll see inexperienced and black, and that’s about it. It needed to replicate the mindset of the character.There was yet another element we centered on: for a person who lives in Delhi, who has at all times worn easy fits—shirts and trousers since his younger age—to maneuver into this look, we didn’t need something too fashionable. We needed one thing applicable. There’s even a dialogue within the movie the place his spouse says, “Oh my god, is that this new? Did you decide all this for me? This appears to be like like a dressing up for a film.” That’s how deeply it’s woven in. All the pieces fell into place. It was a fantastic course of for me.”Eka Lakhani, recognized for her work in Sanju and Rocket Boys, took collaboration a step additional. She reportedly met actual individuals related to the biopics to duplicate wardrobes that felt lived-in, not curated. Costume designers right now are not stylists—they’re storytellers who work hand-in-hand with DOPs, administrators, and actors to visually script a personality’s arc.
Case Research: When Costumes Turn into Characters:Gully Boy
Murad’s journey is seen in each outfit. From second-hand hoodies to upgraded stage-wear, his clothes evolves along with his confidence and ambition. Poornamrita Singh and Arjun Bhasin’s detailing—be it a threadbare backpack or MC Sher’s layered equipment—spoke volumes with out phrases.Gangubai Kathiawadi
Sheetal Sharma referenced Mughal silhouettes and regional Kathiawad traditions. Her shift from cotton sarees to jadau-embellished ensembles mirrored Gangubai’s rise in energy—and isolation.Animal
Ranbir Kapoor’s wardrobe—distressed leather-based, wolfpack-inspired jackets, and sharp western silhouettes—mirrored the protagonist’s inside chaos. Costumes right here did not scream; they simmered.Chhaava
This upcoming historic drama starring Vicky Kaushal and Rashmika Mandanna is a standout instance of character-first styling in 2025. Costume designer Sheetal Sharma invested a complete yr researching Seventeenth-century Maratha apparel—touring to Paithani textile hubs like Paithan and Narayanpeth, restoring 500-year-old saree borders, and sourcing genuine equipment from Kolhapur and Ratnagiri. . The outcome? A visually wealthy, culturally rooted wardrobe the place each Paithani drape and heavy decoration underscores the protagonist’s royal lineage and emotional depth.Sardar Udham
Interval authenticity was essential. Designers employed classic watches from Delhi’s black markets and rural khadi textures to recreate the socio-political actuality of the liberty fighter’s world.Equipment That DiscussTiny particulars usually carry the heaviest emotional weight. In Thug Life, a watch sourced from Delhi’s gray markets hinted on the character’s hyperlink to illicit survival economies. In Gully Boy, MC Sher’s layered chains contrasted Murad’s naked necessities—highlighting class distinction even in friendship. In Gangubai, ornate jadau sneakers and Kathiawadi shenan jewelry supplied glimpses into Gangu’s loneliness masked as grandeur.Trial Day: The Inventive RehearsalTrial days—early wardrobe testing on set—are actually handled like emotional rehearsals. Actors and designers use this time to discover silhouettes, cloth textures, and styling that really feel “proper” for the character. These classes additionally assist DOPs check how materials transfer underneath gentle or digital camera setups. It’s not about what “appears to be like good” however what feels truthful.Minimalism vs. Business Hero StylingRegardless of progress, a artistic tug-of-war continues between character-first styling and glamorous hero-centric wardrobes. Administrators like Mani Ratnam or Shoojit Sircar lean towards authenticity, usually choosing refined, layered appears to be like that talk with out spectacle. Others—significantly in masala cinema—nonetheless chase high-impact visuals.
Designers navigating each worlds usually learn the script in depth to create model that emerges from the character moderately than imposing glam for glam’s sake. This duality is seen in movies like Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani, the place conventional opulence is balanced with personality-driven quirks.Sustainability and Regional AuthenticityOne other shift is in direction of aware costuming. Designers like Manoshi Nath and Rushi Sharma (of Idiot’s Paradise) launched sustainable practices in PK, utilizing recycled materials and pre-loved clothes from rural communities. In addition they cast direct relationships with native artisans, making certain authenticity and livelihood.
In Bajirao Mastani, designer Anju Modi crafted intricate wardrobes with actual Persian influences—embroidered angrakhas, zardozi detailing, and genuine turbans—to replicate the blended Maratha-Mughal heritage of the characters.Remaining Sew: Costumes Are the New DialogueCostumes in Bollywood right now are not simply eye-candy or pattern statements. They’re quiet but commanding voices within the story—amplifying emotion, exposing subtext, and including regional or historic weight. With every drape, accent, or cloth selection, designers will not be simply dressing actors—they’re writing screenplays in silk and denim.As a result of generally, what a personality wears says what they’ll’t.