From adding crow's feet to giving her fuller cheeks, Katrina Kaif's stylist deconstructs how they achieved her aged look in two hours, for Bharat
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; April 25, 2019)

Sporting plain sarees and long curly tresses, Katrina Kaif's on-screen avatar of Kumud Raina in Bharat is possibly one of the most distinct looks in her filmography. While there had been much curiosity around Salman Khan's five different avatars in the Ali Abbas Zafar-directed period drama, the leading lady too will be seen ageing from the late 20s to the early 60s in the course of the narrative.

De-glamourising an actor known for her stylish on-screen appearances can be a tough ask. But Veera Kapur Ee, Kaif's stylist for the film, says the actor was enthusiastic about sporting a simple look. "Ali's brief was that he wanted Katrina to look simple. It wasn't much of a toil because, in person, she prefers a minimalistic look."

It took a string of meetings between the actor, director and Kapur to finalise her aged look. "We used prosthetics to show the ageing process. While Katrina sports a chiselled jawline in the younger portions, we made it less defined as the story progressed. In the latter portions, you can see her with fuller cheeks, under-eye wrinkles and grey hair. It would take us about two hours to attain the look. We also conveyed her maturity by the use of different fabrics. In the young portions, she is seen wearing delicate chiffon sarees, and as the character ages, she gravitates towards deep-hued cotton sarees."

She adds that the team drew inspiration from several Bollywood actors of the '60s and '70s. "We watched many old films and looked at images of yesteryear Bollywood actresses, like Nutan. Katrina also loved the idea of having curls. She thought it would create an image different from her previous characters."

Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 10, 2015)

Costume designer Veera Kapur has styled over 150 actors to resemble religious leaders from across the globe for Karan Anshuman's debut film, Bangistan. The satire follows Riteish Deshmukh and Pulkit Samrat, two blundering tourists whose lofty ideologies lead to a series of events involving not just Hindus, Muslims, Christians and Sikhs but also African tribes, the Shintos from Japan, Native Americans and Buddhist monks.

Riteish's Islamic look includes Pathani suits with jackets and waistcoats in different shades of green, and a talisman. Pulkit's Hindu look is more earthen, with orange and brown kurtas and a rudraksha. Their looks vary with the passing years and changing perspectives.

"I worked on the look of an Archbishop during pre-production, trying to differentiate him from a priest. In the climax, all the groups come together and each religious head had to have a distinct costume and accessories," Veera points out.

What if a religious group takes offence? "That's always a possibility," she admits. "But I've made sure every detail is as accurate as possible and people should take it in the spirit in which it has been shown."

The designer, who has worked on films such as Jolly LLB, Madras Cafe, and most recently, on Piku, explains that designing a costume that brings the director's vision of a character to life is the best part of her job. And she did exactly that with Jacqueline Fernandez's character, a restaurateur in Poland.

Says Veera, "Unlike in India, most restaurateurs in Europe are often seen mingling with their guests. Jacky does that too. She's a smart, funky girl in tight black leather skirts and boots."

Her favourite character, however, is Tamim, played by Chandan Roy Sanyal. "Even though you see Riteish and Pulkit's characters undergoing a religious revelation in the film, in terms of looks, it is Tamim who goes from being an illiterate mechanic to a noble pandit and an accent-wearing tourist guide," she reveals.

Veera, who will move on to styling Arshad Warsi in Jolly LLB 2 next month, adds, "It's fun to make someone look comic or serious. In Bangistan, the funniest characters deliver the wisest lines."