The turbanator

Akshay Kumar gives the pagdi some panache in Singh is Kinng

Happy singh has never been a hero. How could he, with that name and that goofy grin, especially when Bollywood8217;s idea of machismo is clean-shaven good looks? Unless, of course, Happy Singh is Akshay Kumar and has a designer who can stud the turban from Jalandhar with sex appeal and Swarovski crystals.
8220;Whennbsp;the director told menbsp;that the hero is a sardar, for a moment I was a little hesitant. But then I knew it was Akshay, and that whatever I did, he would make it look good. So I just went ahead andnbsp;gave itnbsp;my bestnbsp;shot,8221; says Shabinaa Khan, Kumar8217;s stylist in Anees Bazmi8217;snbsp;Singh is Kinng.

The victory of a man in a blue turban last month has made the title track of this film, Singh is King, something of a chant in north India. The trailers featuring an oh-so-hot Kumar have helped. Says designer Ritu Beri, 8220;Look at the way he is carrying off the role of a sardar. I don8217;t think I have seen a more handsome sardar in recent times,8221; she laughs.
There arenbsp;two distinctive looks for Kumar in the film. In the first half, he plays a village bumpkin who goofs up every job, and in the second,nbsp;a suave underworld don look-alike.

Khan, who has worked with Kumar for the last two years for movies like Namaste London, Heyy Baby, Bhool Bhulaiya and parts of Bhagam Bhag, sourced outfits fromnbsp;unlikely places. 8220;In the first half, Akshay is wearing stuff that women do. Pastel shades with paisleys and floral prints. But wenbsp;cut the kurtasnbsp;like pathanis to give him a manly silhouette,8221; says Khan.

In the second half, Kumar wears slick over-jackets, formals with trousers cut to the knees,nbsp;edgy colours offset withnbsp;just the right accessories.nbsp;You see a Burberry gold, long jacket in the promotional shot that is fresh off the label8217;s latest collection. If rumours are anything to go by, millionaire hotelier Vikram Chhatwal has inspired the look. 8220;Well, he was the first person who came to our mind when Akshay and I were brainstorming about the look,8221; says Khan. So, Kumar8217;s simple pagdi gets a Swarovski makeover with colourful diamante studs while the austerity of formal attires is toned down by trimming the trousers at the knee, almost like capris. It8217;s a look that has captured the imagination of fashionistas.

Kumar was involved in creatingnbsp;the wardrobe. 8220;The long over-jacket that he wears in the title track, for which we have been receiving compliments, was one that he picked up himself while walking the ramp at a Rohit Bal show. It goes very well with his physique. He is open to suggestions, but he is also very particular about the finishing of the garments. In fact, the only time he sends back stuff is when he doesn8217;t like the finish,8221; she says. Not till it is fit for a king, perhaps.

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