Bollywood fashion hits the high streets! Another interesting piece about the relationships between high fashion and Bollywood film in Mumbai from BBC Travel. Interesting that although the report is about a couture designer the opening shots are of goats on a city street. The urge to highlight that which is different and call it "exotic" is strong, even for the BBC. Differences in reporting are very evident when contrast to the pages ofIndian Vogue, for example, which also covers Bollywood and couture, but without the aid of goats. But on to the cultural notes:
Wednesday Market in Lucknow
As Ms. Lulla points out in the report, Bollywood fans can take images from films along with fabrics and go to their tailor to have similar clothing made. Tailor shops like this, my favorite in Lucknow back in 2010-2011. I usually had to take my sewing kit to anything they made for me to make adjustments, but the location was convenient, the price was right, and there was chai and Urdu in the event of delay. More to the point, these gentlemen could make anything.
Before visiting the tailor, a shopping trip is essential- at least in Lucknow, it was strictly BYOB (bring your own bling). My favorite place to shop was Budh Bazaar, Lucknow's weekly Wednesday market. Bring your game face and arrive early and well caffeinated, because Budh Bazaar is a Shopping Experience. I loved the treasures to be found- vintage sari for a song, hand-painted ribbon, traditional Lucknowi hand-embroidered chikkan work, lotus flowers, and everything from buckets to scissors to nail polish and fresh sugarcane and coconuts with straws. This is a picture of the fabric alley where I bought the makings for most of my clothing. I loved the creativity of finding a fantastic piece of ribbon or a gorgeous color and building a complete outfit.
I myself never tried to re-create anything I saw in a film, although my wardrobe was certainly inspired by the clothing I saw in films like Veer-Zaara, Nikaah, and particularly Jab We Met. The last introduced me to patiala salwar, a style I embraced on separate occasions with cranberry red, steel grey, cream, and teal-colored gusto. After all, it is impossible to have too many colors of a good thing.
Veer-Zaara (2004), streaming with subtitles on Netflix, is one of the modern classics to come out of Bollywood in the 2000s. Graced with three big stars, driven by an entertaining, if predictable, plot, and laced through with beautiful music and some interesting messages, the film was a hit with domestic and overseas audiences alike.
The film opens with a dream sequence, which quickly breaks to an aged and frail Veer (SRK) in one of the largest cells ever to misrepresent a prison system. We discover Veer is an Indian political prisoner in Pakistan, and has not spoken since his arrest. A young and idealistic lawyer, Saamiya Siddiqui (Rani Mukerji), appears on the scene with one goal: to secure the Indian prisoner’s freedom. No one that handsome could be a spy (James Bond notwithstanding); Veer is naturally innocent of all wrongdoing. But to
prove it, Saamiya is going to need to hear the whole story. Eventually convinced of his lawyer's sincerity, Veer recounts his tale of love and loss while gently cradling a silver anklet of bells.
In the flashback of Veer's memory, which comprises most of the film, we are introduced to our heroine, headstrong Pakistani girl Zaara, played by the ever-delightful Priti Zinta. After the death of her beloved teacher, Zaara travels to India to pour her ashes into the Sutlej river in the Punjab. There, Zaara is rescued by Veer, a handsome Indian air force pilot, who agrees to accompany Zaara to the Sutlej, and then show her his home. As all
great couples should, the two fall head-over-heels in love over the course of two days to a beautiful score composed by Madan Mohan.
Not all is to run smoothly- Veer is obviously in jail. As with all great melodramas, this film has a dastardly villain, some cruel twists of fate, and a phenomenal courtroom scene. I won't share the ending- suffice to say, it is very melodramatic. At its best, this film is moving melodrama. At its worst, this film is ridiculous melodrama. However, one must respect that this film is completely unafraid to be exactly what it is.
With the self-assuredness comes some heavy-handedness. Women deserve equal opportunities to pursue educations and futures! Cross-border, religiously mixed love is beautiful! True love conquers all! In case of confusion, these points are driven home with the subtly of a semi-truck. Fortunately, that doesn’t make the messages wrong, and the film,
while heavy-handed, makes a nice change from some of the other messages about love, diversity, and gender relations coming out of Hollywood, Bollywood, and most everywhere else.
The music is some of the best you will ever hear. I enjoy all the songs- one I include here in which Veer describes India to Zaara, who rejoins that her homeland shares the same dawn and sunset with India. It is joyful, patriotic, and romantic- a trifecta of greatness. Please also appreciate the over the course of his career, SRK has danced on everything imaginable, including the Ferris wheel here (see also trains, motorcycles, and the Brooklyn Bridge).
Another song worth noting is “Main Yahaa Hun” (I am here), Zaara’s fantasy, displaying the chemistry between Zinta and Khan and Zaara’s unapologetic interest.
Very often in films I cant help but wonder if the heroine is dancing along just to be nice. Make no mistake here- Zaara is in it to win it. Veer even appears
in the rain following the ever-popular trope which highlights the object of desire’s figure and form. The male form as desired, and the heroine doing the
unabashed longing, is unusual. SRK commented that he has done enough romantic films to sleepwalk through roles. Looked fine to me.
The costuming on this film is lovely, showcasing old-fashioned elegance for a more contemporary moment. While trends in shalvar suits and sari come and go, beautiful lines, bejeweled dupata and solid colors will never cease to appeal to those with an eye for the timeless.
Critical to enjoying Veer-Zaara is checking cynicism at the door. If by the end of this film you aren’t in tears and convinced Veer and Zaara will be together forever, you are watching it wrong. Gray areas, ambiguity- reality in general- have no place here. Leave it at home or don’t bother watching. And don’t bother calling- I will be busy happily crying and singing along.
