When creating Saif Ali Khan's politician look for Tandav, stylist Subarna Ray wanted to fuse classic styles with the contemporary looks of new-age leaders. "Classic styles of Indian political leaders during [Jawaharlal] Nehru's times are our inspiration. The younger politicians today play with structured looks by opting for trousers with bandhgalas and Jodhpuri jackets," says Ray, who dressed Khan's Samar Pratap Singh in pristine white kurtas and sleek Nehru jackets. "In Delhi, younger politicians wear a lot of understated designer outfits. I interacted with the designers who work closely with politicians and got a peek into their look books."

The stylist, who collaborated with the actor on Parineeta (2005) and Eklavya (2007), knows of his love for Raghavendra Rathore's creations. She knocked on the couturier's door as formal Indian menswear is right up his alley. "Raghu created a few outfits, aligning with the palette of the show. Semi-formal kurtas, pinstripes, Jodhpuri jackets and bandhgalas were picked up from his Delhi store. Fine khadi was our go-to fabric for the looks."

Gauging that the character was not too divorced from Khan, Ray reveals that she raided the actor's personal collection, using some heirloom pieces in the Amazon Prime Video series. "We pulled out many items from his personal wardrobe, including creations from House of Pataudi, and his mul kurtas in shades of beige and grey. He wanted a lot of him in Samar. We got hand-painted silver and ivory cufflinks from a manufacturer in Delhi to perfect the look. Saif gave his personal watches too."