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This story is from November 3, 2006
Filmi outfits torn to shreds
Aishwarya Rai's topi in Umrao Jaan has been criticised for being out of place for those times. We talk to the movie's costume designer.
Aishwarya Rai's topi in Umrao Jaan has been criticised for being out of place for those times. We talk to the movie's costume designer.
Munnabhai would probably say, 'kya topi lagaaya mamu.' But JP Dutta's use of the topi to complete Amiran's look in Umrao Jaan was no attempt to fool people.
What is truly the director and his wife's interpretation of Mirza Hadi Ruswa's character Umrao Jaan has been deemed as objectionable by Lucknowi purists.
According to them, Aishwarya Rai's headgear in Umrao Jaan is out of place as tawaifs (nautch girls) of 19th century never wore a cap.
But in the newly-released book Umrao Jaan, a picture showing Aishwarya sporting the topi was credited as the vision of Dutta and his wife, and not the film's costume designer Anna Singh.
I wouldn't go wrong with the topi! My job is only to research the interpretation of my director's vision." And that's what Anna did with all her films, including Umrao Jaan.
"With Agnivarsha, director Arjun Sajnani was very clear about the look he wanted. During research I found clothing in those times didn't have hooks or zippers, and bottoms were draped."
For Taj Mahal, Anna was given paintings of the Mughal period by director Akbar Khan. "We researched costumes for a year; we even read about how they did their hair. But with Umrao Jaan, I had only Ruswa's book to go by.
I didn't have any pictures which showed me how Umrao Jaan looked," Anna adds. Yet, much research was done on the late 18th century style of clothing and embroidery motifs.
"I have made an outfit with chattis kalis (36 panels) and put together creations with whatever suitable and legitimate research I have. But before criticising anyone, people should know that even in various areas of Lucknow, outfits worn differed from each other."
IS UMRAO JAAN'S TOPI A BIG DEAL?
kanakhirani@indiatimes.com
Munnabhai would probably say, 'kya topi lagaaya mamu.' But JP Dutta's use of the topi to complete Amiran's look in Umrao Jaan was no attempt to fool people.
What is truly the director and his wife's interpretation of Mirza Hadi Ruswa's character Umrao Jaan has been deemed as objectionable by Lucknowi purists.
But in the newly-released book Umrao Jaan, a picture showing Aishwarya sporting the topi was credited as the vision of Dutta and his wife, and not the film's costume designer Anna Singh.
According to Singh, who's also designed for Mission Kashmir, Agnivarsha and Taj Mahal, "I conceived 70 different kinds of caps for Taj Mahal.
I wouldn't go wrong with the topi! My job is only to research the interpretation of my director's vision." And that's what Anna did with all her films, including Umrao Jaan.
"With Agnivarsha, director Arjun Sajnani was very clear about the look he wanted. During research I found clothing in those times didn't have hooks or zippers, and bottoms were draped."
For Taj Mahal, Anna was given paintings of the Mughal period by director Akbar Khan. "We researched costumes for a year; we even read about how they did their hair. But with Umrao Jaan, I had only Ruswa's book to go by.
I didn't have any pictures which showed me how Umrao Jaan looked," Anna adds. Yet, much research was done on the late 18th century style of clothing and embroidery motifs.
"I have made an outfit with chattis kalis (36 panels) and put together creations with whatever suitable and legitimate research I have. But before criticising anyone, people should know that even in various areas of Lucknow, outfits worn differed from each other."
IS UMRAO JAAN'S TOPI A BIG DEAL?
kanakhirani@indiatimes.com
End of Article
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