The whole woman

The colour palette reflected Draupadi’s life from vivacious orange and gold to angry red hues,from nude shades to calm indigo,mustard,off-white and dull pink. There was a rather curious power play at work. The feminine charm of layered lehengas,anarkalis and saris was paired with armour-like gold bustiers,minimalistic Victorian ruffled cuffs,power shoulders and even an occasional red bow tie. The Modi man,on the other hand,was not exceptional as he paraded the ramp in dull-coloured pashminas,experimental jackets,sherwanis and badhgalas — all paired with feminine elements of puff shoulders,ghagras and churidars.

The presentation was perhaps at its profound best when,after the cheer haran,the dancer exited and the models emerged,literally stripped of all the colours — in stark nude,mustard,white,splashes of blue and rare baby pink — perhaps speaking a silent language of inner anguish. We loved the metaphorical motif of caged birds. After the bedlam subsided,entered showstopper Tabu (usually resilient but here,strangely self-conscious),adorned in the traditional rich red lehenga layered over thick gold,befitting only a bride,yet her face devoid of the glory of one.