Movies have inspired people’s fashion choice for years: Sonam Kapoor

Mumbai: Bollywood actor Sonam Kapoor said filmmakers have preferred to cast her in girl-next-door parts rather than giving her the chance to star in a movie that will need her to wear heavy costumes and jewellery.

At the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival panel discussion on ‘The Art of Costume Design - Celebrating the book and the legacy of Bhanu Athaiya’, the actor, known for sartorial fashion choices off the screen, said she feels boxed in the image of a simpleton in films.

“I’ve done period dramas but for some reason, even though I’m known for my clothes, every director likes me in simple clothes and no make-up. I’m always playing the girl next door. I’ve never done a period film with jewellery and Indian clothes. In films, I’m always wearing simple ‘salwar kameez’. So, my dream is to do a period dramatic role one day,” Kapoor said, adding that she fulfils her desire to wear extravagant dresses for her red-carpet appearances.

The 38-year-old actor believes movies have inspired people’s fashion choice for years.

“Cinema and films have a huge impact on how people dress. With her designs, Bhanu Athaiya created so many trends. With Sadhna ji, the short ‘kurtas’ and tight ‘churidars’, which only Sadhna ji could wear; it was so significant that when you think of that era you think of that outfit.”

Filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker, who was also part of the panel, fondly remembered his experience of working with Athaiya, India’s first Oscar winner, on two of his films: ‘Lagaan’ (2001) and ‘Swades’ (2004).

Athaiya had won the Academy Award for best costume design for Richard Attenborough’s ‘Gandhi’ in 1983.