The role of Costume designer in Bollywood?

Clothes are a medium of expression for everyone. It also becomes a way to attract the audience towards the film in Cinema hall. A Costume designer is a person who makes clothes for a film, stage or Television show. The role of costume designer is to create the character’s outfit and balance the scene with texture and color etc. The costume designer works alongside the director, lighting designer, sound designer and other creative personnel.

Bollywood films are known for glamour, bling and showbiz. Costume designer is the sole magician that provides all the three to the industry. Costume designer has his/her team that creates something special regarding the costumes and it also has to suit the narrative of the movie. The outfit should be in accordance with their personality and background in the film.  Bollywood movies are a source of inspiration for common people. The public follow trends by looking at what their favorite actors wear on the Silver screen.

Here are 6 Bollywood movies which have excelled in the costume department:

1. Mugl E Azam (1960): Mugl E Azam was a well researched film for its time.  The costume was on point for every character. Every woman in those days wanted to dress up like Anarkali in real life. Madhubala added the necessary grace to the dresses she wore onscreen.
2. An Evening in Paris (1967):  The movie was shot in Paris so the costume designer had to give something new keeping the location in mind. Sharmila Tagore put on a western dress for the first time in the film and was received positively by the audience.
3. Umaraojan (1981): The 1980’s were the starting of a Romantic Era in Bollywood. The outfits worn by Rekha in the film became one of the factors that helped her portray the role the character of the dancer in Lucknow. The dresses and jewelry make the viewers forget Rekha and watch the character onscreen.
4. Rangeela (1995): Rangeela is the movie that dared to show Urmila Matondkar in the light of Sexy and beautiful avatar in 1990s and was way ahead of times.
5. Devdas (2002): In this movie each character was appropriately according to the film is set in and movement of the storyline. The Bengali look of Paro was worth falling in love. Even Madhuri’s character is given costumes to the struggles in her life. She is constantly fighting for her self-respect even though she is a dancer in a brothel.
6. Jodha Akbar (2008): From an Ashitoush Gawarikar film, audience has certain expectations from it. Though Hritik was for me was little out of place as Akbar and Hritik and Aishwarya Rai Bacchan’s chemistry failed to create magic personally. The film deserves full marks for the outfits worn in the film in every frame, it suited the era and feel of the film.