A leaf out of the upcoming historical saga Bajirao Mastani found its way to the runway of the Blenders Pride Fashion Tour 2015 in Gurgaon when designer Anju Modi painted an opulent picture of the era through her collection.
Deepika Padukone, who plays Mastani in the film, turned back the clock by taking on the warrior princess avatar.
The actress walked the ramp with the film’s newly launched song, Deewani Mastani, playing as the tour kicked off on Saturday. It will travel to other cities such as Mumbai, Hyderabad and Kolkata.
Blenders Pride Fashion Tour 2015 collaborated with Eros International and Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Bajirao Mastani to present the collection.
On the ramp, light streamed through jharokhas (Mughal-style windows) on the stage, giving the impression of a sunrise. It set the tone for the show with live music and vocals mixed with rustic beats by MIDIval Punditz and Kutle Khan.
It was a blast from the past with models wearing elaborate head ornaments, dupattas over their heads, nose rings and hair buns adorned with garlands.
Soft, subtle colours ruled the line with splashes of white, yellow, pink, blue, red and gold. With the added shimmer of mirror work, the range was made up of layered ethnic attire such as three-piece lehenga cholis, anarkalis, gararas and flowy jackets.
One of the attention-grabbers at the show was the intricate detailing on dupattas with floral works, embroidery and chikankari. Fabric ranged from velvet, silk and georgette.
Modi’s collection captured the atmosphere of that time, with ensembles that highlighted the influences of traditional Marathi and Persian outfits.
Padukone looked every bit a royal as she walked the runway in a layered ensemble adorned with floral prints and a dupatta.
Padukone said: “This [Blenders Pride fashion Tour] is sort of where I started my career. We did shows in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. So, I’m excited and nervous.”
The actress is creating waves with her look as Mastani in Bajirao Mastani, which narrates the story of Maratha Peshwa Bajirao I and his second wife Mastani. Ranveer Singh and Padukone portray the title roles, while Priyanka Chopra plays Bajirao’s first wife.
Padukone says that the whole team should be credited with creating the character’s look.
“I have always believed that styling is very important in making a character look convincing. It is a team effort — [the] director’s vision [and the] team’s hard work — to bring it alive,” Padukone added.
Modi said that the “costumes imbibe different characteristics of the characters”.
“I have recreated the whole era by thinking about the costumes. It was a challenge as there was very limited reference material,” Modi said.
There were some hiccups, like the venue’s audience surpassing its seating capacity as half of the attendees were seen standing during the show. One of the audience members, who came for the show that started three hours late, was heard exclaiming “the show is tomorrow and we have come a day before”.
One of the models also stumbled while walking the ramp. Padukone, who modelled before becoming an actress, also lost her balance while twirling in her heavy attire.
