She is one of the OGs of the Indian modelling fraternity with a dream of a journey on the runway. And, with the new season of Made in Heaven, she has ventured into the world of costume design for a web series. A sparkling debut, we say. t2 chatted with Bhawna Sharma about her experience of styling the much-talked-about show and more.
Mrunal Thakur in the show
This must have been a tough task...
(Laughs) Yes, it was quite a task! We started the conversation in February 2020. I was styling Zoya (Akhtar, co-creator of the show) and she offered me Made in Heaven. Then Covid happened in March and then we started remote prepping from November 1. I had moved to France by that time. I prepped with my costume team and we had meetings with the directors for four-five hours every day and the production designer Sally White from South Africa. We stuck to the script and the requirements of the script, the character graph and the arc. That’s where design comes in, the moodboards and the colour palette. I worked closely with the production designer and the directors.
I came back (from France) in January 2021 and then we started sourcing things, by which time I had spoken with the designers and were collectively working a lot, in terms of the colours, design and textiles. Quite detailed.
I did a lot of collaborations (with designers). My attempt was to bring all the couture houses of India on celluloid. They have never been seen or celebrated like that. Tarun Tahiliani, Manish Malhotra, Aisha Rao, Sabyasachi, Gaurang Shah, Raw Mango, Rimple & Harpreet, Gaurav Gupta, Gauri & Nainika... name it and they have all designed and custom-made things for me, for the show, according to the requirements, like colour palette, family history and cultural backgrounds.
We did fittings for long hours with each actor. We started the shoot in February in Delhi, and after a two-month schedule, we moved to Bombay and then were back to Delhi.
Arjun Mathur in the show
Did you manage to get any sleep?
Short sleep, but we did get to sleep (laughs).
This must have been very rewarding...
It was fantastic working with people like Zoya Akhtar, Reema (Kagti), Nitya Mehra, Alankrita Shrivastava, Neeraj Ghaywan... wonderful experience. My costume crew, the Dressman team, were my main pillar.
What was your research process like?
When I got the script, I worked on each character. Sobhita (Dhulipala; who plays Tara) is more empowered, using her fashion choices as her shield. I worked with monotones, but there was also a lot of power dressing. She wears a lot of cinched waists and there’s power dressing when she is at work. And, when she is out on a date, she is in a lot of jewel tones. Even though she is going through so much hurt and pain because of her marriage and her business not looking up, she comes back into her own and she is stronger.
There was a lot of research. A frame looks beautiful when everything blends together. You see her at weddings in saris. She is also in salwar suits. She comes from a middle-class background but has groomed herself and she is who she is. She is not a trend follower but just a follower of her heart and has strength and courage and that comes through in the costumes.
Radhika Apte in the show
You see Karan Mehra (played by Arjun Mathur) in smart casuals and contemporary Indianwear. As he is also going through a rough phase, you see him dishevelled and messed up. So, there is a range of emotions through costumes.
Jim Sarbh’s Adil Khanna is natty as usual...
Adil is this wealthy corporate man and he is always well turned-out and groomed. He is always sharp. That’s who he is. You see him in various styles, from a polo-neck T-shirt to a polo under a blazer, as opposed to a shirt. He has split with his wife and is getting married to Faiza (played by Kalki Koechlin). So, you see that in little nuances.
Jazz’s character (played by Shivani Raghuvanshi) is so relatable...
Jazz has always looked up to Tara and always wanted to emulate her. She is making sure that she is well turned-out. Jazz is also way more confident now. You see that difference in her when she is voicing her opinion to her parents or to Kabir (played by Shashank Arora). She is now shopping at high-street stores as opposed to local markets and she is trying to fit in, but confidently.
How much fun did you have styling Mona Singh for Bulbul Jauhari?
She is one of my favourite characters, a woman of power. She is the one who has control of the family. If you see her story, she has been through so much, but when she steps out, she just exudes power. You see her in fitted salwar kameezes, patiala salwars and kurtis and she is carrying a fake Chanel bag... just to keep up. She’s got these amazing sunglasses. She is vivacious, strong and funny. She is always well turned-out too, but in her zone.
How did you pick the designers?
For me, I am so grateful because I have been a part of this fashion industry as a model myself for so many years. Everybody came out in full support of the love of the show and my relationship with them. I worked with each designer based on the requirements of the script. Tarun Tahiliani did the beautiful Jain and Punjabi wedding (starring Mrunal Thakur). Manish Malhotra did sequins for Elnaaz Norouzi because her character Leila was all about razzle-dazzle. He also did the Neelam Kothari-Samir Soni Soni wedding (who played Kriti and Gulshan). Sabyasachi (Mukherjee) worked with a pastel colour for a typical Punjabi bride because it was a conversation about red vs pink. Raw Mango did beautiful, handwoven saris which are traditional. Shibani (Akhtar) wore a beautiful Gaurav Gupta gown and we had a Gauri-Nainika for Sarah Jane Dias. Rimple & Harpreet did the nikah (in the episode starring Dia Mirza) and they custom-made everything. In fact, all the designers custom-made all the outfits for the wedding portraits.
There was Bodice, Kshitij Jalori, Gopi Vaid, ikai, Sawan Gandhi, Rohit Gandhi + Rahul Khanna, Raghavendra Rathore, esse clothing and many more.
Bhawna Sharma (centre) with her team
And, how good was Sabyasachi Mukherjee in that cameo!
It wasn’t something very planned, but it just happened. It was beautiful and we all love him.
What has been your biggest takeaway?
When you work with the best people, you realise they have such a strong vision and understanding of what they do. I grew up in Delhi and I know what marriages mean in Indian society. My takeaway as a costume designer is that every frame has to look beautiful. Production design and costume design have to become one. It’s been overwhelming and I hope that I keep working.
What is your advice for all the young models? Should there always be a plan B?
Your plan A is to first live in the ‘now’. There came a point in my career as a model in 2013 where I wanted to see growth and do something else. That ‘something else’ could be anything, but you should always keep your eyes and ears open. Explore different avenues and embark on that. As a creative person, it is always nice to have different verticals. My advice is to love what you do and stay in the ‘now’ but look around because the world has opened up and there are way more opportunities for everyone.