The golden gown, crown and yellow feathers: The iconic look and accessories of Sridevi as Hawa Hawaii in Mr.India

The golden gown, crown and yellow feathers: The iconic look and accessories of Sridevi as Ms Hawa Hawaii in Mr.India 

Wish she had done a proper photoshoot in this entire look that's become so iconic - god I hate that phrase but its so apt here... 

The feathers, the colours, the wig, the makeup: Sridevi in Roop ki Rani Choron ka Raja

Let's be clear, this is a costume - this is not how Sridevi dressed in her off-time. One of the many, manyyyyy elaborate costumes and looks Sridevi wore in the grandiose Roop ki Rani Choron ka Raja. An ignoble fiasco of a film... 

Many parts of the film I loved - and unsurprisingly, all those featured Sridevi. 

This is one of her dancer costumes in a pivotal scene at the end of the title song when her character steals a diamond necklace off Bindu! She's gloriously funny in it. 

Neeta Lulla with Sridevi : The Designer Dream

 

When talking about the architectural visionaries who permanently altered the visual language of Indian cinema, celebrity designer Neeta Lulla stands in a league of her own. 

Born on March 5, 1965, the 61-year-old maestro began her career in 1985 and has spent over four decades redefining high fashion and film styling across a staggering repertoire of more than 300 movies. 

Her meteoric rise was fueled in large part by her transformative partnership with screen icon Sridevi. Collaborating on roughly two dozen cinematic projects - most famously in Lamhe (1991) - Lulla crafted the delicate, dreamy chiffons and romantic silhouettes that solidified Sridevi as the ultimate Yash Chopra heroine. 

Their artistic union yielded some of Indian cinema's most iconic looks across celebrated titles including Khuda Gawah (1992), Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja (1993), Kshana Kshanam (1991), and Jagadeka Veerudu Athiloka Sundari (1990), among several other films in both North and South! 

Whether designing celestial ethereal attire or avant-garde modern ensembles, Lulla’s wardrobe choices for Sridevi didn't just adorn the character - they drove the narrative. Lulla’s extraordinary eye for historical texture, period opulence, and character-driven detail earned her a unmatched record as a four-time recipient of the prestigious National Film Award for Best Costume Design. 

Her first National Award arrived for the intricate vintage dual-era aesthetics in Yash Chopra’s Lamhe (1991). She clinched her second for the grand, opulent silks and heavy brocades worn by Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Madhuri Dixit in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s tragic epic Devdas (2002). Her third came for the regal, meticulously researched Rajput and Mughal court attire in Ashutosh Gowariker’s Jodhaa Akbar (2008). She earned her fourth National Award for the Marathi biographical drama Balgandharva (2011), capturing early 20th-century theatrical costumes with stunning authenticity. 

We are so glad that Neeta Lulla is constantly updating her social media with anecdotes and images and clips about how some of the most memorable looks on film came to be. She's got a great memory, eye for details and she's a raconteur par excellence as a record keeper and cinema wardrobe historian. 

• We have a massive archive of images of Neeta Lulla's work with Sridevi over the years here and here. 
• Sridevi walks for Neeta Lulla here.

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Sridevi costume on Indian Reality TV: The knock off versus the OG!

I don't understand why reality TV in India is so bad - and this is next level. And to do it in the guise of Sridevi's Hawa Hawaii costume! The nerve! 

 

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Sridevi: Behind the Glamour of Bollywood

Mamta Kulkarni, one of my least favourite actresses (I mean she was a celebrity and mediocre dancer who got lucky), had the gall to take shots at Sridevi calling her nothing but a cosmetic beauty, unlike her! Well. Sridevi looked perfectly fine without her makeup on, she was blessed with great skin, South Indian Goddess features, large eyes, a toothy smile and a cherub, ageless face. 

Sridevi: Fashion Icon: Fashionist: Award-Winner

Throwback to when Sridevi won a Style and Glamour award from Filmfare. TBT to Dec 2017

So many more pics in the archive here.

Sridevi in the mid 1980s in Bollywood: Heir Apparent

Ok, so not all the styling was a win.. 

But it was the 80s. And we all survived it. 

Still gorgeous. 

Now and forever, Sridevi 

Films, Flops and Supestars: Sridevi in 1987 in Bollywood

 

Films, Flops and Supestars: Sridevi in 1987 in Bollywood

Faux fur, feathers, sequins, diamantes, wigs: The costumes of Roop ki Rani...

Faux fur, feathers, sequins, diamantes, wigs: The costumes of Roop ki Rani...  

There are parts of the movie that are so much fun, and then the other parts... I've seen the movie several times just to see Sridevi's epic comedy and show-stopping musical numbers. 

She made this insane look... work. For a comedy scene! 

Standing back to back with co-star Anil Kapoor. 

Sridevi in Guru (1989)

Released on 24 February 1989, Guru was a smash hit in the 80s, one of the biggest openings for a Sridevi - Mithun film. 

Released 35 years ago today, celebrating the movie's anniversary today. 

Sridevi: Hat, short wig, 90s fashion

 Sridevi: Hat, short wig, 90s fashion. Sridevi looking adorable in.. that ghastly movie Chaand Kaa Tukdaa. All the numerical and alphabetical change to bring luck to the movie did nothing... 

A film with Salman Khan and Sridevi, two of the biggest contemporary stars should have been better in every way possible. Alas, it was made at that weird cusp as Indian cinema, well, particularly Hindi cinema was going through a definitive DNA change... 

We've seen parts of the movie often, just to see a gorgeous, gorgeous Sridevi. 

Sridevi, Priety Zinta, Govinda, Saif Ali Khan, Namrata Shirodkar, Meera: Tabloid days

 

Sridevi, Priety Zinta, Govinda, Saif Ali Khan, Namrata Shirodkar, Meera: Tabloid days

Sridevi

The feathers, the makeup, the accessories... peak 80s fashion with Sridevi. 

 

Sridevi rockin' 80s Fashion: Feathers, glossy makeup, chunky accessories: Glamour of a Bollywood Queen

Sridevi rockin' 80s Fashion: Feathers, glossy makeup, chunky accessories: Glamour of a Bollywood Queen 

Sridevi in Bollywood was 🔥

Neeta Lulla created the wildly, fabulously over-the-top headdress and costume for Sridevi, for the grand finale firey song and dance routine for Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja

32 years of Chaalaaz: Sridevi's Best Actress win

Sridevi's exquisite comedic and dramatic turn in Chaalbaaz - back in 1989. Released 32 years ago today, our rich archive of images, features and reviews of the film are here.

 

 

Sridevi: Gown and Glory

Red carpet favourite; Sridevi 

Fierce Sridevi! Actress on the sets of Chandra Mukhi

Sridevi in and as Chandra Mukhi (1993)

Sridevi on the sets of Chandra Mukhi

Sridevi and her over-the-top costumes and colours on the sets of Chandra Mukhi (1993)

Even for the biggest Sridevi fan, it's tough viewing - however, there are many children who loved the fantasy movie. 

Sridevi in Ram Avtar (1988)

Sridevi on the sets of Ram Avtar  

The film itself was an unofficial remake of Sangam - right down to the comical take of a seduction song by Sridevi. In the original, Vyjanthimala did Main ka Karun Raam Mujhe Budha Mil Gaya. In the latter film, in the same comical/seduction vein, Sridevi did Nigode mardon ka.

Keeping up with the times, both No:1 actresses wore the fashion of the era. The feathers, the tights...