Behind Tollywood's style statement
Hyderabad: Remember those biker chic outfits that you saw on Taapsee Pannu shaking her booty in Mr. Perfect? Chances are, all those outfits are either from Delhi, Mumbai or maybe a fancy boutique abroad. Notice how none of the places mentioned are Hyderabad. Despite Hyderabad's thriving fashion industry ' the city is not only home to a branch of the National Institute of Fashion Technology, it also houses several top designers of national repute ' stylists are looking elsewhere when it comes to sourcing clothes for film shoots.
'When I want elaborate ethnic wear for a shoot, I shop at either Delhi or Mumbai. If I'm looking for high-end western wear, then I simply go abroad. But if all I want is middle class clothing, then I hit the malls in Hyderabad. You see, when I'm shopping from brand names, then it doesn't really matter where I shop - the malls are the same pretty much every where, explains Ashwin Mawle, one of the city's top film stylists, talking about his sourcing process.
But the big question here really isn't how, it's why. 'There are several reasons - first of all, for the same price you can get outfits from bigger, better designer labels in Mumbai and Delhi. Also there is a lot more variety there. If in Hyderabad you have five-six really good designers, then in Mumbai and Delhi you have 80-90. It just makes more sense.
In our city, there are a very limited number of designers and designer boutiques,' says Mawle, continuing, 'As for high-end western wear, you simply get better quality garments abroad. When I'm styling a very fashion conscious movies then I prefer to go out of India as then I can experiment more with pattern and colour.'
'I think they are trying to ape Bollywood. I don't see much originality in the styling of most Tollywood movies,' opines Hyderabad-based fashion designer Sashikant Naidu. Mawle begs to differ. 'There was a time when the Tollywood film industry was completely style blind. But now Tollywood has come into its style statement, which incidentally, is very different from that of Bollywood. In fact, there are some Tollywood movies that I would say are more fashionable that the best Bollywood movies,' opines Mawle.
A few of Hyderabad's designers, surprisingly, are not that bothered by the fact that they are missing out on some of the business. 'I don't really cater to movies much,' says Kedar, one of Hyderabad's more colourful designers and the entrepreneur behind Wundershop. 'But I do understand why Tollywood stylists prefer Mumbai or Delhi. In Hyderabad all the designer stores are scattered and independent of each other. In a place like Mumbai most of the stores a stylist might want to source from are in close proximity to each other. It is easier to source entire ensembles - bags, shoes, accessories and all that - in that situation. Not so much in Hyderabad,' opines the designer.
Sashikant agrees with Kedar's sentiments, albeit for other reasons. 'The first movie I designed for was Morning Raga. Then I did this innovative movie with a documentary filmmaker which is yet to release, followed by Krishna Vamsi's Rahki. These experiences were enough for me to decide that costume design is really not for me,' says Sashikant, continuing, 'Also, I think it is a misconception that stylists go to Delhi and Mumbai and buy tons of designer wear. Unless it is a really big budget movie, at most stylists pick one or two designer pieces for the item number. The reason why they go to Mumbai and Delhi is to pick up the Bangkok and Hong Kong maal.'
News Posted: 24 June, 2011
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