Bollywood has long been more than just entertainment, it’s a driving force in Indian fashion. For decades, movie costumes have ignited nationwide style revolutions, with fans eagerly emulating the onscreen looks of their favorite stars. Outfits seen in hit films often become the next big trend in real life, underscoring how deeply cinema influences everyday wardrobes. In fact, films in India reach an audience that no runway show or fashion magazine could dream of, giving Bollywood couture unparalleled power to shape popular style. From elegant sarees to edgy streetwear, Bollywood’s costume choices have consistently reflected and reinvented the aesthetics of their times. This chronicle takes a journey through iconic Bollywood costumes – across eras – that transcended the screen and became fashion trends, and highlights the creative collaborations between visionary costume designers and actors that transformed India’s sartorial landscape.
Contents
- 1950s-60s: Early Trendsetters of Bollywood Fashion
- 1970s-80s: Bold Styles and Western Influence
- The 1990s: Bollywood Costume Designers Take Center Stage
- 2000s: Fusion Trends and Global Influence in Bollywood Wardrobes
- 2010s: Revival of Tradition and Defining Characters through Costume
- 2020s and Beyond: The Continuing Legacy of Bollywood Fashion
1950s-60s: Early Trendsetters of Bollywood Fashion
In the early decades of Indian cinema, Bollywood began setting style templates that would endure for generations. One of the first trendsetting costumes emerged in Mughal-e-Azam (1960), where actress Madhubala’s opulent Anarkali ensembles, featuring flowing kurtas, churidars, and jeweled adornments, captivated viewers. These Mughal-era silhouettes became so popular that the “Anarkali” suit was named after her character and remains a timeless staple in Indian fashion. Around the same time, actress Vyjayanthimala’s dance costumes in Amrapali (1966), especially her dhoti-style sarees, introduced audiences to classical elegance and inspired new draping styles.
Perhaps the most influential ’60s trendsetter was Sadhana, often called the Audrey Hepburn of India. In Yash Chopra’s film Waqt (1965), Sadhana appeared in tailored, body-hugging churidar-kurta sets (designed by Bhanu Athaiya) that broke away from the loose salwar kameez styles of earlier years. Her sleek kurtas paired with tight churidar pants and her famous fringe haircut (“the Sadhana cut”) created a modern, Westernized look that every young woman wanted to emulate. An entire generation in the 1960s started sporting Sadhana-style churidars and fashion-forward winged eyeliner, signaling a shift toward more fitted and glamorous everyday wear. Even veteran designers note how Sadhana’s “sexy-yet-demure” styling – covering the body but accentuating shape – was ahead of its time and became synonymous with her name. It was an early example of a costume designer–actor collaboration (Athaiya and Sadhana) setting a nationwide trend.
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Another iconic moment came in 1968 with Mumtaz’s Brahmachari saree. In the song “Aaj Kal Tere Mere Pyaar Ke Charche,” actress Mumtaz wore a bright orange saree draped in an unconventional, form-fitting style. To help Mumtaz dance easily, costume designer Bhanu Athaiya created a pre-pleated saree that zipped up, with a snug wrap around the hips and a flared, frilled hem. This inventive saree-gown hybrid, paired with Mumtaz’s sleeveless blouse and big bouffant hair, became an instant sensation. The Mumtaz saree look rewrote the rules of draping – it was bold, playful, and a clear departure from traditional six-yard drapes. The style was so iconic that it continues to be referenced and recreated even in modern fashion, essentially introducing the concept of the “stitched” or gown-style saree decades ago. In these early years, Bollywood wardrobes were already proving their influence – from period costumes to contemporary chic – laying the foundation for the fashion-film affinity that would only grow stronger.
1970s-80s: Bold Styles and Western Influence
By the 1970s, as Bollywood films embraced both hippie chic and disco glitz, the influence on street fashion became impossible to miss. A landmark moment came with Dev Anand’s Hare Rama Hare Krishna (1971), where Zeenat Aman portrayed a free-spirited hippie. Her wardrobe of bohemian tops, bell-bottom pants, chunky jewelry and oversized sunglasses introduced India to the Western “flower power” look. Most memorably, Aman danced in the film draped in a lungi (a traditional cloth wrap) as a skirt – a daring choice that immediately caught on with young women across the country. Soon after the movie’s release, college girls were pairing printed lungis with kurtas or tees, loving the comfort and boho flair of this style. As one fashion commentator noted, “Zeenat Aman gave the lungi a whole hippie vibe,” and in the early ’70s lungis were the denims of the decade for many style-conscious girls. This was a striking example of Bollywood taking a humble street garment and elevating it into a nationwide fashion trend.
In 1973, Bobby sparked another youth fashion revolution. Sixteen-year-old Dimple Kapadia made a sensational debut in the film, wearing outfits that were boldly modern for the time – from knotted crop tops to mini skirts and even a bikini. Her most famous look was the black and white polka-dot tie-up blouse paired with a short skirt, which became the style of the season. An entire generation of teenage girls in the mid-1970s fell in love with “Bobby print” polka-dots and cheeky knotted shirts, a look that epitomized youthful rebellion and fun. The trend “went viral” (to use today’s term) – suddenly polka dot knotted tops were ubiquitous, marking one of Bollywood’s first big influence on Western-style casual wear for women. Dimple’s fearless wardrobe in Bobby, put together with a very modern approach – proved that even a debutante’s costume could become a national talking point and propel a lasting trend in everyday fashion.
Male film stars, too, shaped fashion in the ’70s and ’80s. The late superstar Rajesh Khanna, for instance, popularized the guru kurta – a long, loose collarless kurta – turning a simple attire once associated with rural folk into a pan-Indian style statement. When Khanna started wearing these A-line, round-necked kurtas both on and off screen, men across India followed suit. The guru kurta became a unisex trend embraced by young men and women from the late 1960s onward, and it remains in vogue even today as a versatile ethnic piece. Khanna’s influence was such that people would bring tailors photographs from his films, demanding identical shirts or kurtas. He also made accessories like slim scarves and aviator sunglasses immensely popular – for example, the way he styled his shades and neckerchief in Andaz (1971) triggered a nationwide craze for sunglasses among young men. In an era before professional stylists were common, actors like Rajesh Khanna set their own trends that fans eagerly copied, underscoring how Bollywood heroes were de facto fashion icons for the public.
As Bollywood entered the disco-inflected 1980s, the costumes grew flashier and the trends kept coming. The ever-elegant Rekha became synonymous with exquisite silk sarees and statement jewelry on screen, especially after films like Silsila (1981) where her ethereal saree looks (flowy chiffons and halter blouses) were much admired. And while Rekha’s character in Silsila radiated subdued elegance, another actress was about to redefine sensual style. Sridevi’s appearance in a plain blue chiffon saree for the rain-soaked song “Kaate Nahi Katte” in Mr. India (1987) is now legendary – it proved that a simple translucent saree could be smoking hot. But it was Yash Chopra’s Chandni (1989) that truly turned chiffon sarees into the ultimate symbol of romance. In Chandni, Sridevi twirled across Swiss mountains in soft-focus, clad in a stunning yellow chiffon saree that contrasted beautifully with the scenery.
The impact was instant and lasting: Sridevi popularised chiffon sarees as the outfit of choice for romantic occasions. Fashion historians often credit Yash Chopra and Sridevi for making the delicate “Yash Raj heroine” chiffon saree a coveted style for Indian women in the late ’80s and ’90s. Suddenly, chiffon saris – especially in whites, yellows, or pastels like those Sridevi wore – were in huge demand for weddings, college farewells, and photoshoots, embodying elegance and youthful grace. Yash Chopra’s philosophy was that “women are beautiful and it is my duty to present them beautifully,” and by using diaphanous sarees as a storytelling device, he indeed made actresses look memorably elegant while also setting off a real-world fashion phenomenon.
Whether it was Zeenat Aman’s boho chic, Dimple’s teen rebel attire, Rajesh Khanna’s kurta, or Sridevi’s romantic saris, the ’70s and ’80s showed Bollywood’s growing ability to swing popular fashion in entirely new directions. The collaboration of actors, directors, and emerging costume designers in this era created looks that not only defined on-screen characters but also resonated with the aspirations of a changing society – one that was increasingly open to Western trends yet rooted in traditional silhouettes.
The 1990s: Bollywood Costume Designers Take Center Stage
The 1990s brought a pivotal shift: professional costume designers in Bollywood became stars in their own right, and their collaborations with actors resulted in some of the most trend-setting looks India had ever seen. Foremost among them is Manish Malhotra, who arguably redefined Bollywood fashion in this decade. His big break came with Rangeela (1995), a film that was a game-changer for on-screen style. Manish Malhotra gave actress Urmila Matondkar a vibrant, contemporary wardrobe that perfectly captured the film’s modern Mumbai vibe – think chic mini skirts, cute crop tops, denim shorts, and a memorable orange skater dress in the song “Tanha Tanha.” These outfits were markedly more real and wearable than the over-the-top costumes of previous eras, and audiences loved it.
The movie’s runaway success and Urmila’s iconic “Rangeela look” proved the impact of smart styling: suddenly Bollywood heroines could dress like the girl next door or the trendsetting college kid, and viewers rushed to copy the styles. Rangeela’s popularity even prompted the Filmfare Awards to introduce a brand-new category for Best Costume Design – which Manish Malhotra won as its first recipient. This underscored how costume design had gained recognition as a serious craft in cinema, and how films were now openly acknowledged as influencers of fashion. As Malhotra himself noted, after Rangeela, filmmakers began allocating bigger budgets to styling, understanding its importance to a character and a film’s appeal. With Rangeela, the era of the superstar costume designer had truly arrived.
Malhotra continued to collaborate with leading actors to shape 90s fashion. In Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), Kajol’s transition from a tomboy in jeans to a graceful Punjabi bride in a green lehenga (for the song “Mehndi Laga Ke Rakhna”) was styled to perfection – sparking a craze for mirror-work lehengas and bandhani dupattas. For Raja Hindustani (1996), Malhotra gave Karisma Kapoor a drastic makeover, including a sultry short black dress in one song that became a hot topic (and made mini-dresses more acceptable in mainstream Indian fashion). He then famously styled Karisma and Madhuri Dixit in Yash Raj’s musical Dil To Pagal Hai (1997), putting them in sporty chic dance-wear – leggings, crop-tops, headbands – that brought the aerobics aesthetic into Bollywood.
That film and others around the time made athletic wear and bike shorts suddenly trendy for everyday outfits. By the late ’90s, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998) took campus style to another level: Karan Johar’s blockbuster featured characters in Polo Ralph Lauren shirts, Gap hoodies, DKNY tracksuits and funky friendship bands, symbolizing India’s globalization. Rani Mukerji’s cheerleader-style minis and Shah Rukh Khan’s pendant with the word “COOL” were especially popular. It’s no exaggeration that after Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, college students in India embraced logo tees, sporty jackets, and even the idea of coordinating friendship bracelets – Bollywood had made activewear and casual branded clothing the new cool. One fashion writer quipped that films like Dil To Pagal Hai and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai “made active wear trendy” by showing that sports bras, tracksuits and sneakers could be youthful fashion statements rather than just gym clothes.
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The 90s also saw Bollywood revive and reinvent traditional attire for a new generation. Sooraj Barjatya’s Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! (1994) not only kicked off the era of big fat Bollywood weddings, but also gave Indian women a treasury of wedding-fashion ideas. Madhuri Dixit’s costumes in the film – from her elegant lehengas to her famous purple saree – became templates for wedding guest outfits across the country. In particular, the purple saree with richly embellished borders that Madhuri wears in the song “Didi Tera Devar Deewana” turned into a cultural phenomenon. Designed by Anna Singh, that saree was reportedly worth ₹1.5 million and featured an unusual full-sleeve, backless blouse – a blend of modesty and allure that caught everyone’s attention. Its offbeat color (purple instead of the traditional reds or yellows for such ceremonies) and daring blouse design set a new trend for reception and festival attire. All of a sudden, brides and bridesmaids were keen to experiment with violet and lilac hues, and the concept of pairing a conservative blouse front with a low-cut back became popular. Indeed, throughout the ’90s, if there was one reference point for sumptuous wedding style, it was Madhuri’s HAHK wardrobe, a case of Bollywood directly influencing how people dressed for celebrations.
It’s also worth noting the impact of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai in ethnic fashion: in the film’s second half, Kajol’s character reappears transformed, draped in a simple pastel lehenga and a bandhani (tie-dye) dupatta that became instantly iconic. That bandhani dupatta paired with a plain white suit (as seen in KKHH) spawned a trend for the classic Gujarat/Rajasthan tie-dye pattern in casual salwar-kameez ensembles. Another beloved ’90s look was the sharara that Manish Malhotra designed for Kareena Kapoor in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001) – a pastel pink, heavily embroidered sharara set that she wore in the song “Bole Chudiyan.” That outfit was imprinted in every would-be bride’s mind and led to a surge in demand for shararas (a style of wide-legged, flowing pant set) in bridal trousseaus. Overall, the 1990s firmly established that if a costume worked in a hit Bollywood film, it would likely be seen at every wedding, gala, and college festival soon after. Designers like Manish Malhotra, Neeta Lulla, and Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla began to seamlessly bridge reel and real fashion, using films as runways to showcase styles that consumers would then rush to adopt.
2000s: Fusion Trends and Global Influence in Bollywood Wardrobes
In the 2000s, Bollywood fashion became a melting pot of East and West, mirroring India’s economic liberalization and exposure to global brands. Costume designers and filmmakers started blending traditional attire with modern cuts and even high-end labels, resulting in trends that felt both uniquely Indian and globally chic. A prime example is Karan Johar’s Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001), which featured an array of trendsetting looks. The film gave us Poo, Kareena Kapoor’s spoiled-fashionista character, whose wardrobe ranged from a metallic P.H.A.T. (“Pretty Hot And Tempting”) mini skirt ensemble for a college prom to a glamorous lehenga for a family function. Poo’s western party outfits (think shimmery halter tops and micro-minis) signaled the advent of a more daring urban fashion in Bollywood, inspiring many college girls of the time to experiment with bolder clubwear.
In the same film, Johar ensured traditional fashion got its due: Kajol’s character embodied the ideal bahu (daughter-in-law) in graceful chiffon sarees, and the coordinated designer pastels worn by the family in song sequences drove home the idea that couture Indian wear (like Manish Malhotra’s ornate lehengas) could be every bit as trendsetting. This dual showcase of Western and Indian ensembles in one blockbuster influenced both sides of the wardrobe spectrum – suddenly millennial youth wanted both the edgy Western looks for parties and the regal kurta-saree sets for festive occasions, just like the film’s characters.
The mid-2000s saw Bollywood directly introduce international luxury fashion to the Indian audience. In Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006), costume designer Manish Malhotra and director Karan Johar outfitted characters in brands like Louis Vuitton, Prada, and Burberry, reflecting the NRI (Non-Resident Indian) storyline. This on-screen label flaunting had a real-world echo: luxury brands like Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior actually credited that film for boosting their visibility in India. As one fashion writer noted, if you wanted to reach India’s growing upper class in the 2000s, getting your product into a Bollywood film was the best bet. Indeed, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna and contemporaries served almost as fashion catalogues for viewers, showing them the allure of designer handbags, sunglasses, and dresses. It wasn’t long before Delhi and Mumbai stores saw a rise in customers asking for the exact Louis Vuitton bag that Rani Mukerji carried in the film. Thus, Bollywood not only shaped ethnic and streetwear trends but also accelerated awareness of luxury fashion among the Indian public.
Another strong 2000s trend was the fusion of traditional and modern in everyday wear, often sparked by quirky character costumes. The film Bunty Aur Babli (2005) is a great case in point. Designer Aki Narula gave Rani Mukerji’s con-artist character a vibrant mix-and-match look – long button-down shirts paired with Patiala salwar pants, accessorized with funky juttis (Mojari shoes) and dupattas. This inventive pairing of a collared shirt with baggy Punjabi salwars was novel and instantly endearing. Rani’s “Babli” look was widely copied on the streets; young women found it a perfect blend of comfort and flair for casual wear. The popularity of that style underlined how Bollywood could take a traditional garment like the Patiala salwar and repurpose it in a fun new way for everyday fashion. (Interestingly, a similar East-West high-low mix was later seen in Jab We Met (2007) where Kareena Kapoor’s character Geet wears a tee and sweater over a Patiala salwar – another combo that every college girl quickly wanted in her wardrobe.)
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One cannot talk about 2000s Bollywood fashion without mentioning the “size zero” craze spurred by Kareena Kapoor, or the trend of ultra-glam, bodycon outfits popularized by films like Dhoom 2 (2006). In Dhoom 2, stylist Anaita Shroff Adajania turned Aishwarya Rai from a demure beauty into a badass trendsetter with her costuming. Aishwarya’s character was dressed in low-rise leather pants, tiny sequined cropped tops, and bohemian accessories – a look that heralded the era of the Bollywood action heroine with a dangerously fashionable edge. Those daring outfits, along with Bipasha Basu’s beachwear in the film, made a huge impression on young viewers. Western clubwear and beach-inspired fashion gained traction in India as Dhoom 2 became a hit – suddenly, mirrored bikinis, ripped shorts, and cowboy hats (worn with Indo-Western flair) were on trend for vacations and dance parties. The film’s success showed designers that dressing actors for the big screen could have more impact than any red-carpet event in dictating trends. In fact, by this time, major fashion houses and Indian designers alike were keen on getting their creations into films, knowing that Bollywood’s reach – hundreds of millions of eyeballs – could translate into instant desirability for their styles.
Amidst the Western influences, Bollywood continued to boost Indian ethnic fashion globally in the 2000s. Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s lavish period drama Devdas (2002) is an outstanding example. Designers Neeta Lulla, Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla and others created over-the-top opulent costumes for stars Aishwarya Rai (as Paro) and Madhuri Dixit (as Chandramukhi). The effect of these intricately planned costumes was such that they dictated Indian fashion for a while after the film’s release. Brides across India sought to recreate Paro’s Bengali bridal look – complete with longer-than-usual sarees draped in vintage style, heavy zari borders, and large nose-rings – as well as Chandramukhi’s dazzling lehengas with elaborate cholis. It’s said that everyone wanted a piece of the iconic red-and-white “Dola Re Dola” sarees that Aishwarya and Madhuri donned for the famous dance.
The movie’s costumes reintroduced elements like chokers, borla maangtikas (Rajasthani forehead jewelry), and pankhi style blouses into bridal fashion. With Devdas, Bhansali showed that Bollywood could revive classical Indian fashions and make them the reigning wedding trends of the era. Similarly, Jodhaa Akbar (2008) saw Aishwarya Rai in rich jewel-toned Rajput queen costumes – think ornate lehengas, bandhgala cholis, and temple jewelry – that soon inspired many bridal collections and trousseau choices. When Bollywood portrayed historical or cultural aesthetics on screen, it often sparked a renaissance of those styles in contemporary fashion. By the end of the 2000s, Bollywood wardrobes had become a seamless blend: heroes and heroines might wear Prada sunglasses and carry Gucci bags in one scene, and switch to embroidered sherwanis or chiffon saris in the next – and audiences were taking style notes from it all.
2010s: Revival of Tradition and Defining Characters through Costume
In the 2010s, Bollywood costume design reached new heights of artistry and impact. This era saw a dual trend: a revival of grand traditional fashion through period films, and a focus on authentic, character-driven styling in contemporary stories – both of which left a mark on what people wore. On one hand, filmmakers like Sanjay Leela Bhansali and others reintroduced the glory of bygone eras, causing a ripple effect in modern couture. Bhansali’s Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela (2013) dressed Deepika Padukone in resplendent Gujarati-inspired ghagra-cholis with heavy mirror work and embroidered jackets. The collaboration between designer Anju Modi and Deepika on this film produced unforgettable looks – for example, the deep red lehenga with a backless blouse and traditional chandbaali earrings that Deepika wears became an instant bridal favorite. In fact, those chandelier-style chandbali earrings saw a massive surge in popularity after the film, with jewelers across India citing “Ram-Leela earrings” as a top request. Bhansali and Modi teamed up again for Bajirao Mastani (2015), which was a feast of Persian-Indian costume design. Deepika’s character Mastani wore flowing, monotone golden angarkha outfits and elaborate jewelry that exuded royal grace.
One such golden ensemble with a sheer veil (from the song “Deewani Mastani”) launched a trend for floor-length anarkali gowns in bridal wear – every bride wanted that Mughal-inspired, heavily flared silhouette for her sangeet or reception. Similarly, Priyanka Chopra’s character Kashibai in the film popularized the Marathi style navvari (nine-yard) saree drape and ornate nath (nose ring) among fashion enthusiasts. The meticulous work of designers (like Anju Modi for these films or Neeta Lulla for earlier period pieces) demonstrated how costume designers and actors’ collaborations can resurrect traditional crafts and make them fashion-forward – after these films, there was a clear uptick in mirror-work lehengas, brocade blouses, and vintage textiles on Indian runways and wedding aisles, all in an attempt to capture a bit of that cinematic splendor.
On the other hand, the 2010s also brought a wave of relatable, character-centric fashion that set trends by being accessible. Take Jab We Met (2007, just pre-2010s) and Cocktail (2012) – two films often cited for influencing young women’s street style. In Cocktail, Deepika Padukone’s portrayal of the party-girl Veronica came with a glamorous high-fashion wardrobe curated by stylist Anaita Shroff Adajania. Her sequined dresses, boho printed tops, and thigh-high boots introduced a fresh, cosmopolitan look that urban audiences immediately resonated with. Yet, the most copied item from Cocktail was arguably the simplest: Deepika’s casual off-shoulder tops knotted at the waist, paired effortlessly with shorts or jeans. This style of a loose, knotted tee became a staple for college girls after the film – a true example of a screen look going from the screen to the street instantly. As noted in the book 100 Iconic Bollywood Costumes, Deepika’s knotted off-shoulder t-shirts in Cocktail became every college girl’s must-have, just like Kareena’s tee-and-salwar look from Jab We Met did a few years prior. That quote encapsulates the power of Bollywood styling in the 2010s: even a relatively everyday combination, if presented appealingly on a beloved actress, could spark a nationwide trend in casual wear.
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Movies of this decade often paid attention to regional authenticity in costumes, which in turn popularized regional textiles and styles more broadly. For example, 2 States (2014) featured Alia Bhatt as a Tamil bride wearing traditional kanjeevaram sarees, half-sari ensembles with gajra (flower garlands) in her hair, and minimal jewelry – a look that many North Indian brides found refreshing and adopted for their own ceremonies. Alia’s simple yet striking South Indian bridal style (in bright colors like orange, pink, and with temple jewelry) familiarized a pan-Indian audience with another region’s bridal fashion, demonstrating Bollywood’s unifying fashion influence. In Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (2016), Anushka Sharma’s character mixes a Delhi-girl vibe with Awadhi nawabi touches – she pairs embroidered kurtis with ripped jeans and big jhumka earrings, creating an Indo-western fusion that inspired many young women to try the same mix of elegant and edgy. Indeed, pairing kurtis or ethnic jackets with jeans, along with statement ethnic jewelry, became a notable trend of the late 2010s, thanks in part to such film portrayals.
Designer-actor collaborations in this era were very intentional about defining a character’s personality and, as a bonus, launching trends. The partnership of Sonam Kapoor and her sister Rhea Kapoor (as stylist/producer) on films like Aisha (2010) and Veere Di Wedding (2018) brought high-fashion sensibilities into Bollywood storytelling. Aisha presented Sonam as a Delhi fashionista with outfits straight out of Vogue – from derby hats and dresses inspired by Clueless (Sonam even sported a Cher Horowitz-style plaid skirt suit) to couture gowns. This made the idea of “high street prep” popular in India; suddenly preppy blazers, argyle sweaters, and polka-dot dresses (all slightly exaggerated for film) found a market among the youth. Meanwhile, Veere Di Wedding outfitted its four female leads in distinct designer wardrobes (by Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla, Sabyasachi, and others) to reflect their characters – from bohemian lehengas and cape blouses for the free-spirited character, to edgy draped sarees and indo-western dhoti pants for the bold one.
The film’s fashion was much talked about, with its portrayal of a millennial women’s sangeet (pre-wedding party) inspiring real-life bridal squads to experiment with coordinated yet individualized ensembles. It showed contemporary audiences that they could break the mold – for instance, wearing a pant-saree or pairing sneakers with lehengas – and still look wedding-ready. By the end of the 2010s, Bollywood wardrobes were not only reflecting trends but curating them: films deliberately paid homage to vintage styles or highlighted certain designers, knowing that audiences now watch movies as much for the styling as for the story.
2020s and Beyond: The Continuing Legacy of Bollywood Fashion
As we move into the 2020s, one thing remains clear – Bollywood’s sartorial influence is as strong as ever, continually evolving with the times. Recent films have started blending nostalgia with new-age flair, effectively creating cyclical trends. A fitting example is Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahani (2023), a film that celebrated classic Bollywood costume tropes while giving them a modern spin. In it, Alia Bhatt’s character dons a series of stunning chiffon sarees (a direct nod to Yash Chopra’s legacy) in bold colors and prints, paired with trendy blouses. One electric blue-pink chiffon saree she wears in a song sequence became an instant hit with viewers, reviving the appeal of dreamy chiffon sarees for a new generation. What was old is new again – young women found the vintage romantic look refreshing, and stores reported increased interest in similar sheer sarees soon after the movie’s release. At the same time, Alia’s character also wears retro-chic sweaters and hip contemporary ethnics, reflecting how today’s Bollywood fashion often mixes eras. This conscious interplay of past and present in film costumes suggests that Bollywood is now curating fashion history, bringing back iconic styles (like the 1970s polka dots or 1990s logo mania) in ways that resonate today.
Moreover, Bollywood stars now frequently collaborate with major fashion designers for their on-screen looks, making each film almost a showcase of the latest in Indian couture. Whether it’s Deepika Padukone wearing meticulously embroidered sarees by Sabyasachi in Padmaavat (2018) – which led to a boom in demand for Rajasthani regal styles and jewelry – or Hrithik Roshan sporting contemporary streetwear by international brands in War (2019) – which had youngsters imitating his denim jackets and athleisure combos – the synergy between film and fashion industries is at an all-time high. It’s telling that many designers prioritize getting their outfits into movies over traditional advertising, knowing that seeing a beloved star wear something on the big screen is the ultimate seal of approval for the Indian consumer.
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Social media has further amplified Bollywood’s fashion influence in the 2020s. The moment a film’s trailer or a song is released, the costumes become fodder for Instagram reels, fashion blogs, and “Get the look” tutorials. Fans can now source similar outfits almost immediately, and fast-fashion brands are quick to offer affordable imitations. For instance, when “Gangubai Kathiawadi” (2022) released, Alia Bhatt’s all-white saree look (symbolizing her character’s strength and purity) spawned a viral hashtag challenge where people styled themselves in white saris with roses in their hair, recreating her look in droves. It demonstrated how a powerful costume – simple as it was – could capture public imagination overnight. The Gangubai saree trend even boosted the sale of white cotton and chiffon sarees, a color traditionally avoided for festive wear but now embraced as a fashion statement.
Bollywood’s costume chronicles are clearly an ongoing saga. Each era builds upon the last: the elegance of the ’60s, the flamboyance of the ’70s-’80s, the designer-led ’90s, the fusion-friendly 2000s, and the eclectic 2010s have all contributed to a diverse fashion vocabulary. Today’s Bollywood continues to champion that diversity – one film might set off a bridal lehenga trend, while another makes a case for neon sneakers with a kurta. The common thread is authenticity and appeal: costumes succeed in becoming trends when they connect with the audience’s emotions and aspirations, be it the desire to feel like royalty, or to dress boldly, or just to be comfortably chic. With Bollywood reaching global audiences now (through streaming platforms and international fandoms), its fashion influence is crossing borders too. It’s not unusual to see people in other countries inspired by Bollywood styles – for example, the lehenga has made appearances on red carpets internationally, and Indo-fusion outfits are celebrated in global fashion circles, much credit to Bollywood’s glamour export.
Below is a snapshot of some iconic Bollywood costumes through the ages and the fashion trends they sparked:
| Film (Year) | Iconic Costume/Look | Fashion Trend/Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Mughal-e-Azam (1960) | Madhubala’s glittering Anarkali gowns | Popularized Anarkali suits – a long, frock-style kurta paired with churidar, which remain a festive staple. |
| Waqt (1965) | Sadhana’s fitted churidar-kurta sets | Introduced modern, body-hugging kurtas; women across India adopted the Sadhana-style churidar as daily wear. |
| Brahmachari (1968) | Mumtaz’s orange pre-pleated saree | Revolutionized saree draping (zippered, tight drape); the “Mumtaz saree” inspired today’s saree-gown trend. |
| Bobby (1973) | Dimple’s polka-dot knotted shirt + mini skirt | Became the emblem of ’70s teen fashion; polka dot crop-tops and knotted blouses went viral among young girls. |
| Hare Rama Hare Krishna (1971) | Zeenat’s hippie attire (lungi skirt, beads) | Brought hippie fashion to India; college youth embraced lungis as skirts and oversized sunglasses as cool accessories. |
| Chandni (1989) | Sridevi’s yellow chiffon saree | Cemented the chiffon sari as Bollywood’s romance symbol; light pastel saris with halter blouses became a 90s wedding trend. |
| Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! (1994) | Madhuri’s purple embroidered saree | Set off a craze for ornate sarees at weddings; the outfit’s unique blouse and color combo influenced 90s bridal trousseaus. |
| Rangeela (1995) | Urmila’s street-chic outfits (crop tops, skirts) | Pioneered Bollywood’s casual chic; young women copied the knotted tees, high-waist skirts and sporty dresses, making everyday wear more playful. |
| Dil To Pagal Hai (1997) | Karisma’s athleisure dancewear | Made sports bras, leggings and headbands fashionable outside the gym; ushered in the trend of sporty streetwear in late ’90s. |
| Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998) | Kajol’s college tomboy & sari looks | Popularized unisex campus fashion (track pants, logo tees, friendship bands) and later, ethnic revival with bandhani dupattas for young women. |
| Devdas (2002) | Aishwarya’s Bengali bridal sarees; Madhuri’s heavy lehengas | Influenced early-2000s bridal fashion; brocade borders, lengthy drapes, and vintage jewellery from the film became coveted in weddings. |
| Jab We Met (2007) | Kareena’s T-shirt with Patiala salwar | Made the tee-with-salwar combo a national trend for comfort and style; countless college girls adopted this Indo-western fusion look. |
| Dostana (2008) | Priyanka’s gold sequined sari (bikini blouse) | Sparked the trend of ultra-glam party saris; metallic and net saris with daring blouses became the go-to look for cocktail events. |
| Ram-Leela (2013) | Deepika’s red lehenga & chandbali earrings | Revived traditional Gujarati embroidery and jewelry; bridal fashion saw a surge of mirror-work lehengas and chandbali earrings after the film. |
| Bajirao Mastani (2015) | Deepika’s Mastani outfits (Anarkali gowns) | Inspired a trend of floor-length Anarkali gowns in occasion wear; heavy layering, pastel monotones, and Mughal-style jackets gained popularity. |
| Veere Di Wedding (2018) | Ensemble cast’s modern bridalwear | Encouraged contemporary bridal parties to experiment beyond the red lehenga – from boho-chic ensembles to pastel co-ords for bridesmaids. |
| Rocky Aur Rani Kii… (2023) | Alia’s 90s-inspired chiffon saris | Brought back Yash Chopra-era sari romance; bright chiffon saris with trendy blouses re-entered fashion conversations among the youth. |
As this table shows, nearly every iconic Bollywood costume has left a fashion legacy – sometimes instantly, sometimes as a slow burn – but always in a way that everyday people incorporate into their style. From the glamour of yesteryear stars to the experimental wardrobes of today’s actors, Bollywood continues to be India’s unofficial trend authority.
In conclusion, the costume chronicles of Bollywood illustrate more than just changes in hemlines or fabrics; they mirror the evolution of Indian society’s tastes and self-expression. When an actress like Mumtaz dared to wear a stitched saree, or a designer like Manish Malhotra put a heroine in street-smart attire, they were reflecting a cultural shift and at times even encouraging one. The collaboration between visionary costume designers and charismatic actors has been key in this journey. Whether it was Bhanu Athaiya shaping Sadhana’s chic look in the 60s, or Manish Malhotra reinventing Karisma and Urmila’s images in the 90s, or contemporary stylists working closely with stars like Deepika and Sonam to craft trendsetting characters – these partnerships have consistently pushed the envelope and brought innovative fashion to the masses.
Bollywood wardrobes have a unique credibility; they come alive on characters we love, in stories that move us, making the fashion feel personal and aspirational at once. This emotional connection is why a style seen in a movie can become a national craze overnight. As Bollywood marches on, embracing new genres and global influences, its costume heritage only grows richer. The film industry now sits at the intersection of entertainment and haute couture, embodying India’s creativity on both fronts. From vintage classics to contemporary blockbusters, Bollywood will undoubtedly keep shaping what India (and perhaps the world) wears – chronicling not just costumes, but the very culture of fashion for years to come.