The fashion offenders of Kollywood

How often do you flinch at those gaudy outfits and garish colored costumes that appear in our Kollywood dream sequences? Less often than you think you do. Because such slaughter of our basic fashion sense has become so much part of our life that we hardly ever notice such fashion Faux Pas. Besides, since a common man’s ideology of fashion is derived from the basic necessity of being presentable, these mistakes get by with not more than a frown or a raised eyebrow.
As the costume designer doesn’t have a choice to choose between flowing strapless gowns or slim-fitting draped bodices, he / she settles down for the inevitable eight-yard sari that is supposed to be looking ethnic for a melodious song and tries his hands on colorful micro/macro minis and other skintight skimpy excuse for clothes for other boot shaking numbers.
The viewer doesn’t have much of a say in raising voices over such seemingly glaring offenses made with a sheer
notion of enhanced entertainment or simply because there existed an overenthusiastic costume designer in the movie.
This article, thus, is the result of a modest (and pointless perhaps) research on the above subject. Here is the little list of Kollywood’s atrocious fashion offenses - on and off screen. No offense or pun intended, of course.
The out-of-place bloopers
They tend to wear inappropriate costumes for the most unsuitable of moments onscreen. The most recent example in this category is Meena for Kuselan. Her layered makeup, lip gloss, and perfectly starched saris for the movie could have been more appropriate if she was playing a content middle class housewife. Sadly, she played a struggling barber’s wife and still wanted to make a fashion statement. But then she can’t be blamed after all, for having come from this school of thought – if you are onscreen, you have to look good. No matter even if you are playing a dead fish. And Meena is not alone in the world. There are Asins, Trishas, and Nayantaras to stake claim for the title.
Exception: Simran in Kannathil Muthamittal!
The color crazed locals
If there is a folk song or anything remotely related to the countryside in the movie, your eyes would invariably be treated to myriad ‘eyeball grabbing’ colors in various forms. Shirts mostly, worn by the male protagonist - in bright solid shades of Red, Yellow, Blue, and Majenta. You need not take our dear directors for Ramarajan’s fans – it is just an attempt to add a little color to the movie. And if you insist on a present day example – Watch S J Surya & Meera Jasmine in Thirumagan. Or even better, Captain in any of the dream dance sequences.
Exception: The earthen color of Bharathiraja movies
The repeat offenders in parties and events
They repeat their favorite (or lucky, as the case may be) outfits while attending events. While there is a ‘league of extraordinary gentlewomen’ that belongs to this category, we can call out the names of Sneha and Namitha off the top of our heads. So if you catch either of them in a filmi event wearing a bright green body hugging Salwar or a black short dress respectively, you know where to refer.
Exception: Asin & Trisha
The same-color maniacs
They think pairing up same colored accessories and clothes are cool - for instance shirt, trousers, belt, and shoes in white. May be they were five decades ago when Boney M was the ‘in thing’. But now?
Exception: Most of the new-age heroes
I’m oversized for my clothes!
It’s not too long when Rambha was the reigning star in South Indian movies. And if it was not for the elasticity of her clothes (possibly Lycra, eh), Ramba would have had the most wardrobe malfunctions. She always wore clothes two sizes smaller than hers. And we probably gave her the impression that it is sexy, encouraging her to try more of such innovations.
Exception: Well everyone else, I guess
So we couldn’t care less for what is in and what is not in the world of fashion, but I do think such situations are easy to avoid. Besides, we don’t need Rohit Bals and Ritu Behris to set the scene right. All it needs is a little bit of rationality and probably breaking away from the mundane and strictly unalterable guidelines laid down by the hardnosed conservatives who think cinema always has to be larger than life!