Be it Jodha Akbar or Manikarnika, when it comes to narrating period dramas through costumes, trust designer Neeta Lulla to nail this job with perfection. Ever since Arjun Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt and Kriti Sanon’s Panipat unveiled its trailer, fans couldn’t stop comparing the looks its characters to that of Ranveer Singh and Priyanka Chopra Jonas from Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film Bajirao Mastani. Netizens took the liberty of drawing comparisons between the two films, Bajirao Mastani and Panipat and ‘trolling’ the latter’s trailer.
Commenting on the ongoing controversy, the ace designer spoke in her defence to a leading daily and sated, “Panipat is set in the same era as Bajirao Mastani. So, how do I change the references? Sadashivrao Bhau (Kapoor’s character) is the nephew of Bajirao Peshwa. Parvati Bai (Sanon’s character) is Sadashivrao’s wife. I cannot change history to make the costumes look different.”
Neeta also explained how she created the looks of her characters. To create Arjun’s look as commander-in-chief of the Maratha army, she sourced fabrics from across the country, while for Kriti’s Peshwai look, she picked up sarees from Kolhapur and Pune. “We were shooting in the heat and the armour that he wears weighed a ton, but there was no way he could get rid of it. We picked up sarees from Kolhapur and Pune, and then I mixed (the prints) and re-stitched them. We added special touches to her hairdo by way of clips that bore figures of birds and butterflies,” she added
Directed by Ashutosh Gowariker, Panipat is based on the battle between Marathas and Afghans and stars Arjun, Kriti and Sanjay in pivotal roles. The film is all set to release on December 6, 2019.
(Source- Mid Day)
