These B-Town dulhans have inspired brides-to-be in real life

Deepika Padukone, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Priyanka Chopra-Jonas, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Anushka Sharma made for head-turning brides at their respective weddings — picture-perfect outfits, jewellery and make-up. Years before that, they had all adorned bridal attires in their respective films, creating the image of a dulhan that inspired millions of Indian girls across the world. “We can never dismiss the fact that people love Hindi movies and it’s an inseparable part of our popular culture. So, whether it’s

Madhuri Dixit-Nene

from Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! (1994), Kajol from Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), or Anushka Sharma in Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (2016), bridal attires from films have always captured the imagination,” says Nisha Kundnani, who runs a styling consultancy for NRI brides and grooms-to-be. “No bride works with her imagination alone. She needs a strong reference, and nothing beats Bollywood in that department. With my experience of dressing up brides globally, I can say that for NRI families abroad, Bollywood is a mirror to India’s popular culture, including the wedding trousseau,” she adds.
Shnoy, a stylist who works closely with Alia Bhatt and Priyanka Chopra Jonas, says, “Deepika’s regal looks in films like Bajirao Mastani (2015) and Padmaavat (2018) have inspired thousands of brides, although what she wore in these films were not exactly shaadi ka jodas. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s bridal looks from Devdas (2002) and Jodhaa Akbar (2008) are also timeless. I have seen so many girls wanting clothes and jewellery like hers from those films even now. It has inspired brides all over the world.” He adds, “The bridal looks of Kareena Kapoor Khan in 3 Idiots (2009), Alia Bhatt in 2 States (2014) and Kalank (2019) and Aditi Rao Hydari’s bridal get-up in Padmaavat have also worked well. These looks have got the nod from brides because actresses, who flaunted them, owned them completely.”
Stylist

Eshaa Amiin

concludes, "Since India is Bollywood-driven, films add aspiration value to an attire. In the past few years, so many brides have referenced Deepika Padukone and Anushka Sharma’s looks from their films. The best part is that brides personalise and add to the look."