Dress Circle

It’s not just the hair. Padukone’s experimentations with her appearance go beyond that. She loves the fact that all her films this year will give her the chance to show off many different looks,starting with Karthik Calling Karthik. “It wasn’t a conscious decision to take up different kinds of films. I’m just lucky that people think I can fit into various roles,” says the actress.

After the release of Love Aaj Kal,her clothes in the film boosted the trend of smart casuals. And it didn’t take much time for college-goers to ape her style. “That was fashionable casual,something I like to wear in reality,” explains the 23-year-old. She loves dressing in denims,knee-length dresses,anklets and sandals. In fact,she has a huge fetish for footwear. “But I wear only flats and that has nothing to do with my height,it’s the comfort factor.”

In Karthik Calling Karthik,which releases on February 26,she plays an architect,who is a go-getter and an independent and self-driven woman. In fact,Padukone related so much to the character that many times she didn’t have to change into costume when she came to the sets. “There were several occasions,where I came in to shoot and the director,Vijay Lalwani,told me to shoot in my own clothes because he felt that they went perfectly with her character,” says the actress,flashing her dimples. “The thing that I liked best about Shonali’s style is that her clothes brightened up the entire office. It was an office where everyone including Farhan (Akhtar) was dressed in shades of black and grey. And it was only Shonali,who would come in a bright red dress or green top.”

When not wearing her own clothes,Padukone tried her best to be involved with the styling department of her films. “I think I’m the one who best understand my body. That’s why I know what will look good on me,” she explains.

The model-turned-actor doesn’t disclose much about her role in Housefull,which is scheduled for an April-release. However,she admits to playing an extremely glamorous character,who even sports a bikini. Her appearance in Ashutosh Gowarikar’s period film Khele Hum Jee Jaan Se will be a departure from this. “Here,I wear the attire of a typical Bengali woman of the1930s—a white and red sari,very little make-up,a small red bindi and some jewellery,” discloses the actor who has been cast as a Bengal revolutionary.

Those,who fancy seeing her in varied appearances,should wait for Pradeep Sarkar’s Lafange Parinde. She hasn’t started shooting for it yet. But she is definitely game for the extremely grubby look that the film demands. However,Imran Khan-starrer Break Ke Baad will have her dressed in her “favourite” casual outfits once again.