A leaf out of yet-to-release historical saga "Bajirao Mastani" found its way on the runway of Blenders Pride Fashion Tour 2015 here when designer Anju Modi painted a picture of opulence of the era through her collection.
Bollywood's 'Mastani' Deepika Padukone turned back the clock by taking on the warrior princess avatar to present a glimpse of her feminine side.
The actress walked on the ramp to the tunes of the film's newly launched song "Deewani Mastani" as the fashion tour kicked off here on Saturday with glitz and glamour. It will travel to other cities like Mumbai, Hyderabad and Kolkata.
Blenders Pride Fashion Tour 2015 collaborated with Eros International and Sanjay Leela Bhansali's "Bajirao Mastani" to present a fusion of rich legacy. And the song "Deewani Mastani" was also launched at the event with a preview of the track.
Larger than life, as grand it can get are the first few thoughts that stream into our minds with the visuals of the song, in which Deepika is seen declaring her love for Bajirao (played by Ranveer Singh) by dancing passionately.
Back to the fashion show, a ray of light seeping from "jharokhas" (projecting window) on the stage, which gave an impression of sunrise, set the pace for the show with live music and vocals entwined with rustic beats by MIDIval Punditz and Kutle Khan.
It was a blast from the past with models laying fashion statement from the era through elaborate head ornaments, dupatta on head, nose rings or hair bun adorned by garlands.
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Soft colours with subtleness ruled the line with splashes of hues of white, yellow, pink, blue, red and gold. With a shimmer of mirror work, the range comprised layered ethnic attires like three piece lehenga choli, anarkalis, garara and flowy jacket.
The thing that caught attention was the intricate detailing on dupatta with floral works, embroidery and chikankari, giving an edgy historic twist to the range. The fabric ranges from velvet, silk, georgette with flowy quality that adds volume to the attire.
Modi's collection captured the atmosphere with its sheer brilliance as models came forth on the ramp, with ensembles that highlight influences of the traditional Marathi outfits and authentic Persian costumes. Each piece was a page from the book of history, illustrating the era.
Deepika looked every bit royal as she walked on the stage amidst loud cheers in a layered ensemble in shades of pink, red and yellow comprising of red lehenga adorned with floral prints and layered dupatta.
Deepika 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 Bhansali's magnum opus "Bajirao Mastani", which narrates the story of Maratha Peshwa Bajirao I, and his second wife Mastani. Ranveer and Deepika portray the title protagonists, while Priyanka Chopra plays Bajirao's first wife.
Deepika asserts that the whole team should be credited with and applauded for the character's look, and not just the actor.
"I have always believed that styling is very important in making a character look convincing. It is a team effort -- director's vision, team's hard work to bring it alive," Deepika said.
Modi asserts 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 entire duration of the show or delay in starting the show. One of the audience members, who had come for the show that started three hours late, was heard exclaiming "show is tomorrow and we have come a day before".
One of the models also stumbled while walking the ramp, on another occasion Deepika, who carved a place for herself in the world of modelling before taking over Bollywood, also lost her balance while twirling in her heavy attire.