Amidst emperors and wars, and royalty and treachery lies beauty in design.
Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan: 1 hit the ground running when it was released last month. If you too like us, rushed to the box office to grab a pair of tickets then you know the allure of this highly-rated movie. The characters Nandini and Kundavai, played by the gorgeous duo Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Trisha Krishnan charmed the audience with their grace and character portrayal. Assisted by costume designer Eka Lakhani and jewellery designer Pratiksha Prashant, the ancient characters were brought to life on screen with costumes true to their personalities.
Image Courtesy: Ponniyin Selvan
Specific fabrics, colours, stones and even draping techniques are used to bring alive the charm of Nandini and Kundavai in Ponniyin Selvan: 1 and we at Binks have done some movie watching, re-watching and even brushed up on our classics to thoroughly understand the details that went into the making of Ponniyin Selvan: 1.
Nandini aka. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
Image Courtesy: Ponniyin Selvan
Throughout Ponniyin Selvan, Nandini’s character is both grand and mysterious. Her sarees and outfits instead of being unidimensional, are often layered in different materials such as see-through organza silks to give it a look of transparency and opacity. Wearing layers of see-through material also enables fine jewellery to remain visible.
Image Courtesy: Ponniyin Selvan
Image Courtesy: Ponniyin Selvan
Image Courtesy: Ponniyin Selvan
Colour Story
Nandini is seen often times dressed in deeper royal colours like shades of reds, maroons, and black along with jewel tones like burgundy, emerald greens, and sapphire blues. The use of these deeper colours and softer, flowy drapes adds to her mysterious aura. Modern corseting was weaved into the Kanjeevaram sarees to give it that structured look. As Ponniyin Selvan is set in 10th century South India, Kanjivaram and Tanjavur silk sarees were primarily worn at the time. Embroidery work on the saree borders and zari was made of beaten pita work to keep the look subdued.
Kundavai aka. Trisha Krishnan
In Ponniyin Selvan, the Chola princess Kundavai is portrayed as a strong and courageous woman. Her authoritative personality is reflected in her outfits through silhouettes that are sculpted, with strong lines. Crisp, sharp, well defined pleats are distinct in the way her saree is draped and pleated lines are also seen in her blouse. The royals used the purest and finest of Kanjivaram silks that allow for it to be draped in a clean, prim and proper look.
Image Courtesy: Ponniyin Selvan
Kundavai’s strong personality is softened by the use of lighter coloured sarees, strong designs and layered jewellery.
The sarees that are made from silk in Thanjavur have vibrant colours and are apt for any occasion. Tanjore silk sarees represent ethnicity and beauty and have beautiful designs of temple architecture on their broad borders.
The Whole 9 Yards
Yes, you read that right! A traditional Kanjivaram saree or even a Madrisar saree is originally 9 yards long as compared to the commonly worn 6 yards saree. The Madrisar style of saree draping which dates back to ancient India and which is seen in Ponniyin Selvan is ideal for wearing a 9 yards saree.
Wondering where you can find authentic Kanjivaram sarees near you? We’ve listed down a few of our favourite trusted stores right here!
Let’s not forget to mention that pairing a traditional South Indian saree with traditional South Indian temple jewellery will perfectly complete your outfit.
Corset bustier blouses
When it comes to the Royal Chola fashion in Ponniyin Selvan, many women are seen in corset bustier blouses, a traditional style of a blouse worn around the 10th - 12th century; especially seen in temple sculpture and engravings at Thanjavur.
When adorning a traditional Kanjivaram or Tanjore silk saree, similar to the illustrious sarees worn in Ponniyin Selvan, you may feel a strong desire to wear it with a corset bustier blouse. After all, Nandini and Kundavai make wearing it an effortless style statement. We strongly approve and encourage you to try out this style of blouse, seeing as to how we predict it’s going to be this season's most popular blouse design.
One thing is for certain, all the kings' horses and all the kings' men couldn’t stitch you a corset bustier blouse design as well as we at Binks can!
We hope that these Chola-style inspirations get you through the patient wait for part 2 of Ponniyin Selvan to hit the silver screen. Until then, you can get all these designs stitched from the convenience of your home, with a little help from Binks. To get started, place an order on our website or WhatsApp us on +91 85440 70539.
