I am the biggest Bollywood buff you will ever meet! While most people use parties to unwind after a busy and tiring week, socialise or get free food and drinks; you’ll find me in my element on the dance floor, nailing the hook steps to all songs from bangers like “O O Jaane Jaana” and “Jhoome Jo Pathaan” to songs that are completely unheard-of like “Oh Lala Re” from the movie “Tarzan: The Wonder Car”. Don’t even get me started on how I can’t resist the urge to drop random dialogues mid-conversation. Just the other day when the Diljit Dosanjh concert tickets got sold out, I hit my friends with a dramatic “Vat a bad, Vat a worst!” From Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani and everyone cracked up.
This is not just me but everyone Bollywood junkie across the world. Bollywood is not just a mere industry but a cultural phenomenon that is woven into the fabric of Indian society. In the 1950s and 1960s, actresses like Nargis and Madhubala were given the status of style icons. Nargis with her sarees in “Shree 420” promoted an effortless, classic style which made her the queen of simplicity and elegance. While on the other hand, Madhubala with her intricately designed Anarkalis and timeless looks in “Mughal-e-Azam”, set a new standard for grace and beauty. I’m sure all our grandfathers must’ve hopped onto the trend of the “Dev Anand puff”. His dashing tailored suits paired with stylish scarfs gave him an undeniably charming screen presence.
In the 1970s and 1980s, fashion became bolder, louder and more experimental. Zeenat Aman with her daring looks in “Hare Rama Hare Krishna”, took the industry by storm. She redefined what was considered fashion for Indian actresses at the time. Her iconic polka dot blouse looks are unforgettable and has been given a tribute by many actresses and stylists in various movies that followed. Amitabh Bachchan, with his leather jackets and bell-bottom jeans in movies like “Don” and “Sholay”, was the living, breathing image of an “angry young man”.
Manish Malhotra in the 1990s transformed the idea of on-screen fashion with his glitzy and glamorous outfits. Whether it was Sridevi’s iconic chiffon sarees in “Chandni” and “Mr. India” or Madhuri Dixit’s sensational purple-coloured saree in “Hum Aapke Hain Kaun”, they were the must-have fabrics in every woman’s wardrobe. These elegant outfits focused on, and exaggerated the feminine energy radiated by these actresses. While on a completely contrasting note, Karisma Kapoor’s outfits in “Dil Toh Pagal Hai” introduced a new category of fashion for women and made athleisure cool and trendy before it was even a thing.
Even today with changing trends and certain looks going out of style, Bollywood stars continue to define what’s fashionable. Deepika Padukone has always wowed the audience with her graceful red-carpet gowns as well as her amazingly styled movie looks, like her fusion lehengas in “Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani”. Global icon Priyanka Chopra, with her bold looks, blending Indian and Western styles, never fails to impress her audience. Alia Bhatt has always made her own fashion statement in the industry, be it her youthful lehengas in “Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania”, expensive “It Girl” looks inspired by high-end brands in “Student of The Year” or sophisticated and simple plain white saree in “Gangubai”. And finally, whether you’re his fan or not, no one has the power to ignore Ranveer Singh’s eclectic and fearless fashion sense.
It's hilarious how our generation shamelessly “borrows” everything from the past and calls it an innovation. For example, we take evergreen music hits and call them a hit by remixing them with some rapper yelling random words which make no sense. Fashions no different. You might have seen bell-bottom jeans on the racks of trendy stores like Zara and influencers pairing them with crop tops under the pretence of how they are making a “comeback”. We raid our parents’ closets for oversized sunglasses, and polka-dot blouses, and suddenly it’s “retro chic.” We’re just living in a fashionable time loop, hoping no one notices that we’re adding the past to our cart and pretending its brand new.
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