Costume designer Sheetal Sharma on creating quirky looks for Judgementall Hai Kya

Initially, Sharma was only supposed to design the look for Ranaut, but was then brought on board for the whole cast by director Prakash Kovelamudi. The film has opened to positive reviews and has received appreciation for its look, design and cinematography. Bobby’s quirkiness is established from the first frame itself, courtesy the red printed dress and yellow jacket that she is seen sporting. “I had previously worked with Kangana in Katti Batti, and then we were in talks for some other films which didn’t materialise. She then put me in touch with Prakash for JHK,” shares Mumbai-based Sharma, 35.

The costume designer had a mandate of ‘no fashion’ in the film. Additionally the stress was on traits and not trends. Sharma spent a lot of time with the script, which, while reading, “seemed quite dark and supremely detailed.” “These traits made her who she is — a person who has suffered a traumatic childhood and is going through psychosis. Her pop-coloured night suits with quirky prints, hoodies and red headphones — it was all a nod to the child within her. There is another print where we have used Frida Kahlo’s photo, and she is wearing glasses,” says Sharma. “We have shown her wearing an ensemble which has a print of a man holding a torch, when she is spying on Keshav (Rajkummar Rao) and Reema (Amayra Dastur). I think a lot of us wear clothes which reflect the mood we are in, so we used that template as well,” he adds.

There are two distinct feels in the film, one is a loud, almost kitschy Mumbai one, and the other is a sedate, demure and more urban vibe, when the scene shifts to London. Rao was given a slightly shady and sleazy kind of vibe, topping it off with those pierced ears. “Like a small town boy who has come to Mumbai and thinks he looks slick in those gold rimmed aviators and shirts with two chest pockets. For London, we made him wear fitted suits,” says Sharma. For Kangana, he used more feminine silhouettes and floral prints. “It’s like she is coming of age and is not following the ‘yo’ template any more. Yet she always stands out in a crowd. You are bound to notice her,” explains Sharma, who has previously worked on films like Manto (for which he won an award for best costume design), Raees and Airlift.

Born and brought up in Bandra, Mumbai, Sharma experimented with many trades before discovering his latent interest in fashion and design. A half-finished degree in hotel management, a stint at a call centre, and then finally a masters in fashion design from Wigan and Leigh College put him on track for a future in costume design. “I got my first ever break as an associate costume designer in Miss Lovely, thanks to Ashim Ahluwalia in 2010. I am lucky that I get to work during this time in the industry when even stars are acknowledging the power of a character. Where they are okay to wear clothes which are picked up from a stall near Bandra station. The time spent in detailing and hashing it out on a mood board is a lot more. Now we have finally realised the power of detailing and investing in a character, which in the long run makes it resonate more with the audience,” says Sharma.

He chuckles at the mention of new ‘wok’ stylists in Bollywood who have made the ‘airport’ look quite a thing, and how ‘styled by’ is an important hashtag and credit on social media. “I don’t do that, except for some very close friends like Arjun Mathur, but this is an interesting phenomenon. You can see how someone like Ayushmann Khurrana can wear a statement trench coat to the airport, and be okay wearing something completely massy for a film. Same for Kangana. She will wear something totally diva-ish for her social engagements, and be on board wearing Bata shoes for an entire film, because that’s what makes sense for that particular character,” he adds. “Design has come a long way in the industry. Earlier it was just the stars wearing outrageous and trendy clothes. Now we have realistic clothes,” he says.