'There should be testosterone': 'Dhurandhar' costume designer reveals Ranveer Singh’s 'masculine' request for linen kurtas

Costume designer Smriti Chauhan offered a fascinating glimpse into the making of 'Dhurandhar', revealing the creative challenges she encountered while designing the look of lead star Ranveer Singh.During a conversation with Manisha Malik, Chauhan spoke about the extensive effort that went into creating costumes matching the gritty world of the film. She explained that the process involved close collaboration with the actor and a constant search for practical solutions that would complement the character's personality. According to the designer, one particular request from Ranveer Singh became one of the biggest challenges she faced during the project.Recalling the costume trial sessions, Smriti Chauhan revealed that Ranveer was highly invested in the visual development of his character. The actor frequently shared ideas and suggestions to help shape the final appearance.Describing one memorable interaction, she said, "The biggest challenge that I actually had is when we were doing trials with Ranveer and he was like, 'I would love if I can take the sleeves of my kurtas up till here, you know, so that I can leak of masculinity. You know, there should be testosterone on, Smriti.' That's how excited he was. So he is like, 'How about we just add sleeves made of stretch?' I said, Oh my god, how do I now do that?' Because how do I get stretch in linen? Stretch materials are mostly flat and to get a flat texture on my main lead would have been a full flop show." "That's when my team, they've literally reached out to fabric suppliers across India to get any swatches of stretch material that we could possibly get," She added. The designer said the idea sounded simple in theory but became difficult when it came to execution.Smriti Chauhan explained that finding suitable materials became a major undertaking for her team. Since linen was central to the character's appearance, introducing stretch fabric without changing the texture and look of the costume required extensive experimentation. The team reportedly contacted multiple suppliers from different parts of the country in search of fabric samples that could deliver the desired result.Apart from solving technical challenges, the costume department also worked on establishing a distinctive visual language for the film. For 'Dhurandhar', the designers chose a restrained colour palette featuring shades of grey, black, brown and blue. The selection was intended to match the film's action-heavy and intense atmosphere. Special attention was also given to the tailoring of Ranveer Singh's kurtas, ensuring the costumes highlighted the physicality and strength of his character. Known for her work on acclaimed projects such as 'Tumbbad' and 'Dhurandhar', Smriti Chauhan has earned recognition for creating costumes that balance realism with strong visual impact.