Is that too Gaudi?

When an Indian superman takes on the evils of the world, what should he ideally wear? He can8217;t be wearing a jumpsuit, or can he?

Gaurav Gupta on designing costume for an Indian superman and bringing Gaudi on to the ramp

When an Indian superman takes on the evils of the world, what should he ideally wear? He can8217;t be wearing a jumpsuit, or can he? That was what troubled Anaita Shroff Adajaina, the stylist of Goldie Behl8217;s soon-to-be released film Drona, who finally put the question to designer Gaurav Gupta sometime last year.

Intrigued, Gupta began to toy with antique brocades from Varanasi and rich silks, sketched metal embroideries and jewelled headgear. 8220;Since it8217;s the story of an Indian superhero, we had to have an oriental look. We worked with traditional fabrics, using the reverse side of silks for added sheen and then crafted a metallic embroidery on it that would look like a sheath or armour of sorts,8221; says Gupta. Adajania was impressed and Gupta8217;s sketches turned into the costume for Abhishek Bachchan.

8220;He loved the shirts that we had designed for him and even commissioned me to do some for his personal wardrobe,8221; says Gupta, who had also made the futuristic costume for Priyanka Chopra in Love Story 2050.

However, Bachchan has been replaced by Antoni Gaudi in Gupta8217;s scheme of things now. Busy giving the final touches to his spring-summer collection to be showcased at the Delhi Fashion Week and the Tranoi Fair in Paris, Gupta confesses to being influenced by the maverick artist who led the Spanish Art Nouveau movement. 8220;I was vacationing in Barcelona recently and I was impressed with Gaudi8217;s work. I took a lot of photos and used them as an inspiration for my collection,8221; he says.

So, Gupta has ditched his usual pastel palette and gone in for brighter tones like teal, red and orange. 8220;I have tried playing up the colours and working on panelling techniques. The effect is quite different from my usual work,8221; he says. Wait and watch if it is Gaudi or not.

Paromita Chakrabarti

Paromita Chakrabarti is Senior Associate Editor at the The Indian Express. She is a key member of the National Editorial and Opinion desk and writes on books and literature, gender discourse, workplace policies and contemporary socio-cultural trends. Professional Profile With a career spanning over 20 years, her work is characterized by a "deep culture" approach—examining how literature, gender, and social policy intersect with contemporary life. Specialization: Books and publishing, gender discourse (specifically workplace dynamics), and modern socio-cultural trends. Editorial Role: She curates the literary coverage for the paper, overseeing reviews, author profiles, and long-form features on global literary awards. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent writing highlights a blend of literary expertise and sharp social commentary: 1. Literary Coverage & Nobel/Booker Awards "2025 Nobel Prize in Literature | Hungarian master of apocalypse" (Oct 10, 2025): An in-depth analysis of László Krasznahorkai’s win, exploring his themes of despair and grace. "Everything you need to know about the Booker Prize 2025" (Nov 10, 2025): A comprehensive guide to the history and top contenders of the year. "Katie Kitamura's Audition turns life into a stage" (Nov 8, 2025): A review of the novel’s exploration of self-recognition and performance. 2. Gender & Workplace Policy "Karnataka’s menstrual leave policy: The problem isn’t periods. It’s that workplaces are built for men" (Oct 13, 2025): A viral opinion piece arguing that modern workplace patterns are calibrated to male biology, making women's rights feel like "concessions." "Best of Both Sides: For women’s cricket, it’s 1978, not 1983" (Nov 7, 2025): A piece on how the yardstick of men's cricket cannot accurately measure the revolution in the women's game. 3. Social Trends & Childhood Crisis "The kids are not alright: An unprecedented crisis is brewing in schools and homes" (Nov 23, 2025): Writing as the Opinions Editor, she analyzed how rising competition and digital overload are overwhelming children. 4. Author Interviews & Profiles "Fame is another kind of loneliness: Kiran Desai on her Booker-shortlisted novel" (Sept 23, 2025): An interview regarding The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny. "Once you’ve had a rocky and unsafe childhood, you can’t trust safety: Arundhati Roy" (Aug 30, 2025): A profile on Roy’s recent reflections on personal and political violence. Signature Beats Gender Lens: She frequently critiques the "borrowed terms" on which women navigate pregnancy, menstruation, and caregiving in the corporate world. Book Reviews: Her reviews often draw parallels between literature and other media, such as comparing Richard Osman’s The Impossible Fortune to the series Only Murders in the Building (Oct 25, 2025). ... Read More