How designer Sonam Dubal contributed to Vidya Balan's on-screen looks for Shakuntala Devi

One of the most anticipated films to release during the lockdown is Vidya Balan starrer Shakuntala Devi. The award-winning actor plays the eponymous role of an extraordinary female mathematician, otherwise known as the “human computer”. When the trailer of the upcoming feature aired on YouTube two weeks ago, fans got a glimpse of the complex and dynamic woman that Balan was set to portray. Directed by Four More Shots Please director Anu Menon, the film will release on Amazon Prime Video from July 31.

Apart from the captivating life events that Balan will be recreating on the big screen, the biopic’s elaborate costumes and beauty looks also bring her vibrant character to life. “After a very long time I have got a chance to really dress up and have fun with costumes. So when we heard that this movie is going to release on Amazon Prime Video, I remember, my make-up artist called me and said that this was one film that she wanted to be seen on a big screen,” shared the star in a conversation with Vogue recently. The film’s costume designer Niharika Bhasin Khan worked on vibrant, retro outfits that evolve with the protagonist over decades throughout the film. For one particular evening look, she turned to veteran fashion designer Sonam Dubal. “The fashion era that the film is set in is the 1950s. Niharika knew my penchant for vintage style and showed me reference photographs from that period,” he tells us. “The costumes imbibe an old world glamour and charm, where women dressed up with evening elegance.”

The Delhi-based designer worked on a mirror-worked sari with abstract embroidery on georgette and old brocade borders, which was an extension of the mood of his autumn/winter 2019 collection. The ensemble also included a heavily-embroidered sequinned cape inspired by Poiret in the 1930s. “It is a rendition of our signature capes—versions of the silhouette can be seen in our collections through the years. The combination of these two signature pieces worked perfectly for the style envisioned and the film setting,” he adds. This was Dubal’s first step into costume design and “fit well into his style of work”.

Fashion designers and filmmakers have work closely with each other in Bollywood over the years, including the likes of couturiers Manish Malhotra, Neeta Lulla and most recently, Nachiket Barve. Dubal makes a contribution to this list with Shakuntala Devi. 

 Watch the trailer of Shakuntala Devi here:

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Vidya Balan on Shakuntala Devi: “She’s probably one of the most complicated characters I’ve played to date”

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