Dhak-dhak girl turns to haute couture

Dhak-dhak girl turns to haute couture
RAJEEV MASAND

February 17: From one of Bollywood's worst dressed actresses to one whom every leading fashion designer wants to drape in his fabrics, Madhuri Dixit has come a long way. The actress, who was often criticised for her dressing style even at the peak of her career, is now the muse of such leading designers as Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla and Ritu Beri who have created outfits for her in Devdas and Yeh Raaste Hai Pyaar Ke respectively.

Though Dixit doesn't feature in Abu-Sandeep's book, A Celebration Of Style, she has worn their outfits off-screen. Other movie icons they have clothed and whose pictures are in the book include Hollywood heavyweights Judi Dench and Sophie Marceau, and Indian stars Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan, Dimple Kapadia, Rekha, Shabana Azmi and Amrita Singh.

Recently, Abu-Sandeep were hired by producer-director Sanjay Leela Bhansali to replicate old Calcutta wear for his Devdas, in which Dixit plays Chandramukhi, a courtesean. The duo is designing outfits for Shah Rukh Khan, Jackie Shroff as well who have prominent roles in the film. ``Madhuri's wardrobe in the film comprises mostly embroidered sarees and drapes, also brocades, all rich antique-like costumes,'' says a designer who works for Abu-Sandeep.

With Delhi-based designer Ritu Beri, Dixit has had a longer relationship. She has not only worn Beri's outfits off-screen but also launched Beri's book, 101 Ways To Look Good last year. Earlier this week, Dixit attended the designer's fashion show in the Capital. For film-maker Deepak Shivdasani's Yeh Raaste Hain Pyaar Ke, in which the actress plays a married woman who is later widowed, Beri has designed outfits in vibrant colours. ``It's a very modern, fashionable look, not those typical filmi costumes,'' says Neha Vij, a designer-merchandiser at Beri's Delhi outfit. ``We have given her stylish blouses, also very different fabrics and embroidery,'' Vij explains. Interestingly, a leading jewellery store in Delhi has specially designed ornaments to go with Beri's outfits in the film.

Dixit has not always been so careful and meticulous about her on-screen wear. Designer Anna Singh, who clothed the actress in nearly 20 of her films including Beta, Rajkumar and Hum Aapke Hain Koun explains that ``as a person, Madhuri is not very inclined towards glamour and fashion, which she treats as mere professional requirements''. Singh has said in the past that she was disappointed with Dixit for her poor taste in clothes. She had also spoken of an incident where Dixit had ruined the charm of a rich, cream sari by pinning on a gaudy brooch to it. ``It was really a lovely sari with some beautiful pearl work but that brooch just didn't go with it,'' Singh recollects with a laugh. Singh, who has done some memorable work with Jackie Shroff and Pooja Bhatt, softens the blow by insisting that ``most actresses today are merely a product of what they wear, but the same can't be said about Madhuri because she's so hugely talented.''

Leading Bollywood designer Manish Malhotra, whose outfits for Urmila Matondkar and Karisma Kapoor have earned him much praise, says Dixit's warm smile and stunning looks made up for her poor dress sense in the past. ``Even in those gaudy outfits, long ear-rings and heavy make-up, she managed to make her presence felt because she's such a beautiful person,'' Malhotra says. Having worked on the actress' wardrobe for Yash Chopra's Dil To Paagal Hai, Malhotra says he noticed that Dixit is now into a softer and simpler look. ``She doesn't need elaborate outfits or excessive make-up because she's just so lovely,'' he says, ``She's also lost some weight, so she's only looking better.'' Her full smile, he says, is easily her strongest feature.

Never mind the inherent attributes, Dixit is going along with some of the best clothiers in the business now.