"Fashion designers function in their vacuum; here the script was a boundary," says Anuradha.
IF designer Anuradha Vakil has stepped out of her comfort zone to design for a Bollywood film, it's only because the film's by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. And the film is Saawariya, for which she designs for Sonam Kapoor and Rani Mukerji.
Bhansali's artistic vision 'excited' her, she says. "He gives you the luxury of time. That's important for me, because my involvement is right from the textile phase. He's crazy about details and so we're a perfect match, tempermentally," she says.
Vakil admits she was very hesitant before signing the film, so much so that she stonewalled the director when he invited her to hear the script. "I don't see my designs fitting into a mainstream Hindi film, and at the end of the day, Bhansali is a commercial filmmaker, not a niche one like, say, Govind Nihalani. Finally, I met him, and after we spent two hours together, I knew it would be a joyride. We have similar interests — he also likes the performing arts, kathak, thumri — that gave me comfort. He also told me he'd give me complete creative freedom — I don't like to dilute what I do."
However, things weren't that simple eventually. "Fashion designers function in their vacuum; here the script was a boundary. Bhansali gave me the emotional landscape of the film — he'd say, 'Sakina is running towards her lover, give me movement, clothes flying...' That gave me the feeling of the scene."
In Sonam Kapoor's Sakina, there's more of Anuradha Vakil, she admits, because Bhansali gave her greater liberty than with Rani's character, Gulab.
She was also restricted by the colour palette of Saawariya. "It was pre-determined by Bhansali and the director of photography. We did trials, looked at results before decisions were taken — everything in blues, black and green. That was restricting, but I knew it would be challenging and exciting."
The clothes themselves, Vakil says, were very different from a regular Bollywood film. "No glittering sarees dripping with embroidery. Whatever there is, is done with restraint. I knew from day one that this wouldn't be about showcasing my label. The script is master and I had to help bring out the character. I don't want the audience to see the garment — I want them to see Sakina and what she was going through at the time."
Designing for Sonam has "been a dream," she adds. "She has a phenomenal body, a perfect frame, so I was able to give her angarkhas to wear, which wouldn't be possible on someone shorter. She's a normal girl one moment, the next, she's a diva. She has tremendous confidence and personality. Her face isn't perfect, but as a package, she's beautiful. Bhansali must have seen her potential even before he picked her."
Rani, on the other hand, has done every possible role and look in filmdom. "That weighs heavily on you. But Bhansali already had her look in mind. And just because Gulab's a protitute, I refused to give her loud, gaudy clothes. According to the script, she understood poetry, so designing for her was a hard line to walk. Rani looks stunning in sarees, so I was lucky to do sarees for her."
For Vakil, it's been a long two years with Saawariya. Because, despite her work finishing early on, she likes to 'stay connected.' "Bhansali and I became friends quickly. I knew he was tempermental and difficult to handle, but he does what he does straight from the heart. Anyone who has worked with him understands that. Saawariya was a creative detour for me, an opportunity to work with a master of the craft."
11/04/2007 07:57:00 PM
Bollywood
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