It was 1981 when Muzzafar Ali's classic Umrao Jaan released with Rekha in the lead role. 37 years later, the filmmaker (sort of) recreated the 'In Aankhon Ki Masti' song at a fashion runway and to the delight of connoisseurs, it didn't disappoint. And while different celebrity showstoppers would have taken to runways in their own unique ways, the show belongs to Sushmita Sen's understated grace and elegance. "The magic of something so elegant and royal is that it doesn't have to scream elegant and royal," said Sen post the show and summed up the entire collection of House of Kotwara, including the aesthetic gold-sequin lehenga she sashayed down on the ramp in on day 4 of the Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2018.
Sen, who walked to the tunes of old classics from Muzaffar Ali's own film, pulled off a new age Umrao Jaan with sheer elan. She elegantly walked the runway, posed for the shutterbugs, and made magic with her eyes, expressions and hand gestures. Even though a song track was decided for the presentation, Sen shared that the classic was a last-minute addition. "Mira, Sama and me are in one room and we are listening to what we are going to do to the track in the preparation room. And we said, na sirf hume In Aankhon Ki Masti mei chalna chaiye, balki uske original version par chalna chahiye- no remixes, no artificial enhancement, this is just what it is."
"It's not an era gone by, it's history and history comes back and celebrates itself," she added while sharing that she was just six years old when the film released. "It was 1981. And my entire family and all aunties who came home and the ones who knew even little bit of Urdu, used to sing this song. I only understood the value of this song when I grew up. As a child I grew up dancing to it, so today my parents will be very excited to see me walk the ramp to this song, it was a dream come true," said Sen.
If Sen pulled off the grandeur of Awadh with elan, it was the regal collection that made the show worth remembering. Meera and Muzzafar Ali presented their collection titled Samanzar- A Garden Of Flowers spanning the shades of pristine whites, basic blacks and glittering golds. Their daughter, Sama Ali, experimented with chikankari with additions of zardosi and aari. The royal collection comprised of shararas, saris, kurtas, angrakhas, skirts, tulle robes, capes and lehengas among others and made use of muslins, chiffons, velvets and brocades.
On being asked about the collection, Muzzafar, who has helmed films like Gaman, Jaanisaar and Anjuman, explained, "Mira is the architect of the whole collection and I'm just the inspiration, I get inspired by what they do. When we talk about fashion, it's elegance which doesn't change overnight. It evolves very gently and with each year, you realize something little has happen."
"Ek chhoti si booti nikal aayi, ek chhota sa ankur nikal aaya. You can't make radical changes in Awadh, Awadh has to have the fragrance of soil and if you want to keep the fragrance alive, you have to do the innovations but those innovations have to be very gentle," he said.
(All pictures by Yogen Shah)
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