Entertainment

LFM Goes Sustainable!

Lakme Fashion Week 2021 was all about hailing new beginnings after the upheavals of last year, with an eye towards sustainability. From a brilliant mix of the green horns and the established, the designers lit up the event with their creations that often swung between opulent and eclectic. The event, backed by Lakme India in partnership with the Fashion Development Council of India, was a “phygital” gathering of craft, innovation and workability. Designers participated from all around the country via spectacular visual art films and live walks. Juveria Tabassum picks eight of the best designers on show through the five days.

Collection: Bloni

Designer: Akshat Bansal

Label: Bloni

Hashtag USP: Local artisanal techniques on marine plastic waste textiles.

Delhi-based Bloni’s Akshat Bansal’s creations were the perfect celebration of the theme, for the event. The designs were showcased as part of the Emerging Talent Category. Fabrics sourced from marine waste and generated through technology were adorned with the age old tie-and-dye craft. Furthermore, the collection, termed Bloni, was gender neutral, which gave them an added edge. Crochet and knitting made an appearance and the designs left an impact with its tasteful use of neon green and shimmery silvers between blacks, whites and greys on eco-friendly, hybrid textiles. The film deployed futuristic elements and was striking in itself, with models standing knee-deep in waters.

Collection: #SNSafari

Designers: Shantanu and Nikhil

Label: S&N

Hashtag USP: Safari chic that can well become the new-age celebration wear.

The designer duo has become a vintage name in the industry with their new-age celebration wear which is transforming what we wear at festivities. Their Safari collection was driven by the idea of “celebration on the move,” paying a tribute to the ceaseless lives of today’s youth. The designs were a smooth mix of casual chic and traditional cuts, satisfying the fashion stipulations of the youth. The collection experimented with cuts and silhouettes in kurtis and jackets for women and shirts and sherwanis for men. Also on the roster were some classic tees and sneakers which lifted some rather conventional garments to a ubiquitous contemporary appeal. The designers said the idea behind the collection was “delineating the belief of celebrating oneself, the journey and the destination.”

Collection: Crafts in the Forefront

Designer: Rahul Dasgupta

Label: Label Rahul Dasgupta

Hashtag USP: Shibori on sherwanis could well become a staple

Presenting as part of the GenNext show by INIFD, young designer Rahul Dasgupta, who launched his label in August 2020, sparkled with his stylish collection for men at the Lakme Fashion Week. Sherwanis, kurtas and jackets infused in Shibori and occasionally splashed with bundi made for a cool collection which might well find a place in many a man’s wardrobe this festive season. Created with organza and cotton, the garments dabbled in blues and grays and delivered a final stunner in red. The mix of Shibori and selvedge of fabric was cut and dyed, then detangled and later stitched together to create a great masculine look. Another stunner was the cotton dori dyed in Shibori, for the jacket that was lined elegantly with Shibori and worn with a silk organza bagalbandi style kurta.

– Collection: Spring/Summer ‘21 – Ritu Kumar x TRESemme:

Designer: Ritu Kumar

Label: The Ritu Kumar Label

Hashtag USP: Soya fabric sarees that embrace the classic and the contemporary

Designer Ritu Kumar was supported by haircare brand TRESemme in this edition of the Lakme Fashion Week. Boho and minimalism went hand in hand with his collection as he blended floral prints and patchwork with a spread of yarn dyes, laces and geometric designs. The collection embraced both the classic and the contemporary feminine as it swung between suits and drapes and dresses. The soya fabric saris created a stir when they appeared in the most unconventional and unique styles with a colourful fantasy of colour and prints. Ritu Kumar kept the hemline at the midi level to allow the fluid silhouettes to swirl around the models. The scarf was the prime accessory in prints, plain or tasselled and appeared around the neck or the waist in a variety of styles. Participating via a film, the collection used natural fibres and incorporated a plethora of contemporary everyday styles donned by the modern woman.

– Collection: Look Book of Conscious Leather Free Creations by PETA India

Hashtag USP: Cruelty-free fashion that ticks all the boxes

Day 2 was Sustainable Fashion Day and the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India presented a Look Book of conscious leather-free creations that were curated from numerous top brands. PETA ambassadors Milind Soman and Ankita Konwar donned the creations which ranged from office wear to date night looks. The couple looked gorgeous in the staggering film which was directed by Ravi Shanker and shot at Sofitel Mumbai BKC. Ankita’s red, halter, trapeze-style mini dress was especially striking. The suits, trousers, jackets, and a gamut of dresses were Vegan—all created without fur, leather, wool, exotic skins, cashmere, mohair or silk. Coconut leather was used as an alternative option to conventional leather, and Brands featured included Proyog, Daisy Days, Urvashi Kaur, Outhouse, Papa Don’t Preach by Shubhika, Countrymade and many more.

– Collection: Purn Vritt

Designers: Chandra Prakash Jha and Georg

Label: Cocccon

Hashtag USP: Peace organic silks that employ zero waste techniques and conscious Sericulture

German-based designers Chandra Prakash Jha and Georg came together in 2012 to form a luxury fashion label that utilises peace organic silk. The Purn Vritt collection, which marked their first outing on Indian shores, featured fabrics created with strict organic methods employing zero waste techniques. The designs on show were futuristic and made from biodegradable materials which deployed the principle of “Ahimsa” or peace silk where the silkworm is allowed to complete its life cycle. For the presentation, the collection resembled the indigenous performing art of Jharkhand, which spoke about conflict between circular (Jeevan Chakra) and linear (Jeevan Rekha) lifestyle. Voluminous sleeves and shoulders added a spectacular oomph to the cuts. The colours were vibrant and the drapes ranged from summer dresses, sarees to draped lungis, embellished with geometric block prints on bright hues. The collection blended in well with the theme of the event, Mismatched, and created quite an impact with its geometric patterns and summer block prints on these environmentally-conscious garments. The interesting silhouettes appeared comfortable. It says quite something about the times that we live in that “luxury peace silk” not only sounds inviting, but also looks pretty damn gorgeous.

Collection: Marie Claire in Collaboration with Gauri and Nainika : Fall 2021

Designers: Gauri and Nainika

Label: Bata India

Hashtag USP: Florals never looked more elegant

Bata India managed to make a mark at the Lakme Fashion Week with Marie Claire, a women-centric fashion footwear brand that falls under their umbrella. In collaboration with designer duo Gauri & Nainika. The designs play with floral prints inspired by greys, greens and blues—the shades of the earth. Frock dresses, gowns in chiffon set alight by trendy necklines gave a serene illusion to the collection. The leg-of-mutton, long-sleeved, ruffled, collared dress was captivating in its voluminous troughs and crests which were set off beautifully by the Marie Claire kitten heels. The designers stuck to organza and chiffon which maintained the refreshing, floaty, flowery feel of the film. A black, printed addition with a high neckline was a great contrast against the pretty pastels of the collection.

Collection: Art Nouveau

Designer: Varun Chakillam

Label: 6Degree

Hashtag USP: Reimagined traditional festive wear Part of an ensemble by online multi designer store 6Degree, Varun Chakillam managed to hold his own and stun with his reimagined use of classic festive-wear colours and styles. The “Art Nouveau” line for Spring/Summer 2021 aimed at the sensuous, mysterious woman. Sequins and intricate embroidery came splattered on maxi skirts, pre-stitched sarees and trendy kurtis. The colour card featured dainty pinks, greens, mustards and teal set off by hand embroidered garments of voluminous skirts, gowns and other drapes. The collection, stimulated by 18th century art brought finesse and elegance to traditional Indian festive wear. An embroidered kurti over draped lungi and the ruffled dupatta teamed with corset style choli and lehenga brought innovation and elegance to an age-old combination. Showstopper Pooja Hegde looked scintillating in a white embellished lehenga. Her stylishly cut choli set off the look brilliantly.

March 31, 2021

#fashion, #lakmefashionweek, #trendingnow

Prince Cecil Decodes the Perks & Challenges of a Destination Wedding

Actor Prince Cecil married Sai Machiraju in an intimate, 80–100 guest wedding in New Zealand, her home country, on August 24. In an exclusive with Hashtag Magazine, he breaks down what nobody tells you about planning a wedding away from home. The Perks An intimate celebration: New Zealand as our destination wedding was special because my wife, Sai Machiraju, is from there. But the thing about destination weddings is you have to keep it very private, like close-knit. I think just 80-100 people attended our wedding. Core memories that last: Destination weddings create core memories that stay lifelong. Our post-wedding pics in the snow, flying down from a helicopter, were just two happy people who wanted to capture our love. The couple even shot part of their album at Cecil Peak, a nod to his name. It was pretty cold, but it felt like a Classic Bollywood moment; at least I was covered in a sherwani, and my wife was in a saree. The right team makes the difference: There are a lot of challenges in planning a destination wedding: admin for travel, tickets, food, stage, clothes, logistics. They were quite major, but having a great team, management and a limited crowd was a huge plus. The Challenges Not everyone can make it: Someone close wants to attend it badly, but life, work commitments and the distance meant they had to skip it. That’s one of the hardest parts, missing someone you desperately want there on your special day. You can’t control the weather: The night before their outdoor ceremony, it rained heavily. We were so tensed and worried about how we’d manage, and checking for last-minute backup options. Planning can get chaotic: Coordination outside your space, managing things as per our customs and rituals, is so hard. Everything was

Entertainment

RAMAYANA: THE EPIC REIMAGINED

Ramayana: The Epic Reimagined is shaping up to be one of Indian cinema’s most ambitious productions, bringing together a star-studded cast and an international creative team. From its two-part format and reported ₹4,000-crore budget to its cutting-edge visual effects and global release plans, here are 10 things to know about the epic cinematic spectacle. 1.Two films, one epic Ramayana is planned as a two-part cinematic project. The first instalment is scheduled for release during Diwali 2026, with the second chapter planned for Diwali 2027. The films are directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra. Ranbir Kapoor has revealed that the team shot around six hours of footage for the first film before editing it down. A Chinese listing reportedly indicates a runtime of about 166 minutes for Part One. 2.Ranbir Kapoor as Rama: The first choice Ranbir Kapoor plays Lord Rama, amid years of speculation over other names. Mahesh Babu, Hrithik Roshan and Ram Charan were among the actors linked to various versions of the project. However, director Nitesh Tiwari and producer Namit Malhotra have clarified that Ranbir was always their first choice for their current Ramayana. Tiwari cited his physicality, screen presence and ability to convey emotion through his expressions. Interestingly, Yash, who plays Ravana, was also reportedly considered for Rama before taking on the antagonist. 3.Sai Pallavi is Sita Sai Pallavi plays Sita opposite Ranbir Kapoor’s Rama. The role marks a major Hindi-film project for the acclaimed South Indian actor and adds another prominent South Indian star to the cast alongside Yash. 4.A large ensemble cast An extensive ensemble supports the three leads. Sunny Deol plays Hanuman, Ravi Dubey plays Lakshman, Arun Govil plays Dasharath, Lara Dutta plays Kaikeyi, Indira Krishnan plays Kausalya, Kajal Aggarwal plays Mandodari, Rakul Preet Singh plays Shurpanakha, Kunal Kapoor plays Indra

Entertainment

Exclusive Interview: Nikhil Siddhartha on Swayambhu, Family and Politics

After the pan-India success of Karthikeya 2, Nikhil Siddhartha finds himself at a pivotal phase in his career. The actor is currently gearing up for the release of Swayambhu, one of the most ambitious projects he has undertaken to date, a historical action drama that demanded nearly two-and-a-half years of dedication, extensive physical transformation, and months of post-production work. In a candid conversation with Priyanka Goud, Nikhil opens up about the challenges of mounting a large-scale period film, why he prioritises quality over quantity, how fatherhood has changed his outlook on life, and his belief in using cinema as a tool for social awareness. A Two-and-a-Half-Year Commitment Describing Swayambhu as a project unlike any other in his career, Nikhil revealed that he dedicated nearly two and a half years exclusively to the film.“Some films are easy to make, and some are difficult. Swayambhu falls into the category of films that demand complete commitment. I underwent a significant transformation for the role, growing my hair long, maintaining a specific physique, and immersing myself in the character and story throughout the production period,” he said. A Historical Story with Universal Appeal One of the aspects that attracted Nikhil to Swayambhu was its historical backdrop. Nikhil plays Krishnan Raman, a historical figure whose name appears on ancient copper plate inscriptions that have recently gained attention. “This story is rooted in history, but its themes are universal,” he said. “It’s not confined to one region; audiences across India will be able to connect with it.” The actor also highlighted the growing importance of visual effects in modern filmmaking. Swayambhu reportedly contains nearly 2,700 VFX shots, making post-production one of the most demanding phases of the project. “We completed principal photography in December 2025, but for the last five to six months it has been

Entertainment

Preity Zinta on Batwara 1947, Motherhood and Finding Her Way Back to Cinema

For Preity Zinta, returning to the screen with Batwara 1947 is about more than making a comeback. The period drama allowed her to explore a chapter of India’s history, work with director Rajkumar Santoshi for the first time, and step into a world far removed from her own. But the film also made her reflect on how much life has changed since she began her career, from the freedoms available to women today to the perspective that comes with becoming a mother. For Zinta, Batwara 1947 is ultimately a story about family, resilience and hope, as she tells Lipika Varma in an exclusive conversation. Why did you say yes to doing this film? What touched you the most? There were a couple of things. First, I really wanted to work with Raj ji. I had never worked with him before, so working with him was always on my bucket list. I had also always wanted to do a period film. Beyond that, I genuinely loved the story. What touched me most was that even in the darkest of times, there is always a ray of hope. People may see this as a story about two countries, but for me, it is essentially about a family. I was also deeply affected by stories of families who believed they were leaving their homes temporarily, even burying their jewellery and valuables, thinking they would return. They never imagined they would lose everything forever. Since this is my first period film, I spent time researching and understanding that era. After such a long break from films, why did you choose this project? I was enjoying my personal life, focusing on my family and raising my children. Professionally, I had always wanted to work with Raj ji and also wanted to do a period film.