Journalism of Courage
Himani Dehlvi takes Indian fashion to the sets of Royal Shakespeare Companys Much Ado About Nothing in Stratford-upon-Avon
For the past few months,Delhi-based costume designer Himani Dehlvi has been shopping for two weddings and a funeral. Shes been sifting through mountains of colourful dupattas,lehengas and polki jewellery,as well as white and off-white chikankari to be worn during the last rites. Shes amazed how calm she still feels about it. I should be nervous, she adds with a giggle,not a thread out of place in her own attire. Dehlvis colourful (and funereal) shopping is meant for actors in Stratford-based Royal Shakespeare Companys (RSC) forthcoming play,Much Ado About Nothing,which will open in Stratford next month.
About Much Ado,she says,I knew what I didnt want. In Hindi films,Punjabis are portrayed with over-the-top style; I wanted to portray Punjabis with good taste. The idea is not to put everybody in traditional,and blingy,Indian clothes. Instead,westerns,ethnic and a fusion of the two coexist in modern India and thats what the style of the play will depict. For many in the audience,it will be a look at the new India where young girls carry BlackBerrys and pair of jeans with kurtis.
The storyline revolves around the fun-loving Benedick and the woman who can match his jokes with repartees of her own,Beatrice. Beatrice is a very strong businesswomen,dressed in trousers and Indo-western with Indian jewellery such as stone neckpieces and big earrings. There will be a little more jewellery with the power suit than a western woman would wear, says Dehlvi,about the character played by Meera Syal. The colour palette begins with earth tones such as beige and olives,and then moves on to peacock shades,yellows and oranges for the wedding,before the play ends on the spiritual note with whites and off-whites, she says. Khan wanted Delhis class distinction to be evident,and Dehlvi has planned to have servants dressed in worn,slightly faded clothes. In Delhi,were used to a layer of dust over everything. The clothes of servants carry traces of dust, she says.
Dehlvi adds that she is not making the play a platform for Indian fashion but theres a definite visual conversation. The use of embroidery reveals Indians love for needlecraft,and one of the lehengas looks more like a gown. Add to these faux glass bangles (that wont break on stage) and vibrant attire of men. Indian men wear a lot of colour,and look good in them, says Dehlvi. If she has any regret,it is that there are no plans to stage the play in India yet.
