Shakuntala Devi's stylist goes through Vidya Balan's saree collection

Niharika Bhasin

One glance at the trailer of Shakuntala Devi and you are convinced that Vidya Balan and her styling team left no stone unturned to achieve a striking resemblance between the leading lady and her muse. "When you are functioning on a tight budget, you are bound to rummage through personal wardrobe to reflect the period on screen," says Niharika Bhasin, the stylist on the upcoming Amazon Prime Video release. Bhasin claims that she ransacked Balan and her mother's personal collection of sarees.

The Tumhari Sulu actor is showcased in five distinct looks in the trailer, all of which Balan credits to Bhasin. "There were tons of sarees to steal from Vidya and my mother's hand-me-downs. Old printed silks and georgettes are not in vogue, now. Despite the limited budget, I got some printed. I wanted specific colours to stay true to the period. The second-hand shopping helped us achieve the look we wanted," says the stylist.

The fabrics evolved through the film as the character of Shakuntala Devi gained accolades and fame. Bhasin explains, "For the younger part, we used natural fabrics like cotton. As she got more affluent, we gave her richer fabrics. Shakuntala loved her sarees, but as foreign influence seeped into her life, we worked that into her wardrobe. She had a spunky personality, so despite her age, she retained her vivacity."

Period films are not just about the attires, but an amalgamation of what one wears in tandem with the hair and make-up. "I liked the detailing [of the character]. From the scarves, bags to her jewellery, it puts Shakuntala in perspective. For the older sequences, there were fur capes to symbolise her affluence. Even though the look is about the character, it is essential for it all to go with the actor's look and personality," elaborates Bhasin adding that they ensured to keep the craziness and excitement of Devi in contrast with the seriousness of the daughter [played by Sanya Malhotra].

Bhasin references pictures of Devi's life, but a lot of Malhotra's character styling is re-imagined. "We had to figure different hairstyles and colour palettes to tell our story, but the starting point was the pictures Shakuntala Devi's daughter gave us."

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