‘Aishwarya Rai is the most disciplined actor’, says Eka Lakhani, costume designer of Ponniyin Selvan

A still of Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt from Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani. (Photo: PR Handout)

As the historical drama completes one year of its release, Lakhani revealed in an interview with indianexpress.com how it took “168 hours of karigari and 30 hours of stitching” to design the outfits for movie. She also shared what it was like working with the leading ladies of the industry like Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Sobhita Dhulipala, and Trisha. Lakhani graciously revealed her own tips to accessorise like a Maharani straight from the Chola Empire, towards the end.

See the edited excerpts:

Q. How is designing for a costume drama different from designing for regular films?

From Mani sir, I’ve learnt the art of authentic storytelling through costume design. When you work on a costume drama, whether fictional or historical, there’s extensive research and referencing involved to depict an era you aren’t familiar with. You have to go through archives, books, and numerous pictures to enhance your work.

In contrast, designing for a regular film set in contemporary times is easier because you’re working in a world you’re already familiar with.

Q. What was it like working with Aishwarya on the film?

Life came full circle for me, as I had started my career with Aishwarya ma’am in Raavan back in 2009. Aishwarya ma’am is the most disciplined actor in the industry, and I truly admire this quality of hers. Everything we did was well-rehearsed and practiced during look tests, so on the day of the shoot, we knew exactly where the drape goes, the makeup details, the hair bun’s position, and even the jewellery length.

Although they all share a similar era in style, each character is distinct in how they present it – from colours to draping. (Source: Stills from the movie)

Q. Where did you seek the inspiration to style each character differently?

We had design references illustrated by Maniam, who was a legendary Tamil illustrator, and we drew inspiration from the sculptures in Thanjavur temples. A lot of it also came from how Mani sir visualised his characters.

Q. Sobhita seems very fashion-forward. Did she contribute to her styling?

Sobhita is magic; she carries everything so well and has a deep understanding of fashion, aesthetics, colours, and fabrics. She’s very sound when it comes to fashion, I was extremely excited to be working with Sobhita because I’ve admired her style. She was genuinely excited about costume trials and loved everything, from the textiles to the intricate outfits we created for her.

During her fittings, we would only bring fabrics, not the entire outfit. It would be draped on her and then stitched to achieve a sculpted look. Sobhita would end up dancing and twirling in the outfits.

She would always give creative inputs about adding a ringlet, a flower or piece of jewel. It was a true collaboration with her, and a memorable one indeed.

Q. Who were your personal favorite characters that you loved styling?

Although they all share a similar era in style, each character is distinct in how they present it – from colours to draping. My favourite to style were the four female leads: Aishwarya ma’am, Trisha, Aishwarya Lekshmi and Sobhita. Aishwarya’s look was most unique.

Q. Was there a look you found most challenging to achieve?

The face-off scene between Nandini (Aishwarya Rai) and Kundavai (Trisha) was the most challenging for costume design, as both women had to dress up to outshine each other. It was essential to make them both look their best while ensuring they complemented each other on screen.

Eka Lakhani’s tips to accessorise for ethnic dressing

• To choose accessories wisely, you need to understand how different pieces pair together.
• Consider factors like the colour of the gold and the material of the stones. The accessories should complement each other and belong to a similar family in terms of look and feel.
• Sometimes, you can go all out with big pieces, and other times, a statement piece should take center stage while the rest remains subtle to complement it.

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