Vintage dress revived for Kareena Kapoor's wedding

Under the direction of avant-garde designer Ritu Kumar, twelve skilled craftsmen worked for four months to revive the splendour of the antique 'joda' belonging to Begum of Bhopal which actress Kareena Kapoor would be wearing for her wedding next month.

The vintage 'joda' was gifted to screen icon Sharmila Tagore by her mother-in-law, Begum Sajida Sultan of Bhopal, who wore it for her wedding with cricketer Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi in 1939.

Kareena will marry Sharmila's son, actor Saif Ali Khan next month.

Ritu said she recreated the ancient costume by using gold Benaras fabric, woven in the likeness of the fabrics used for the original ensemble.

The traditional bridal attire consists of a kurta, farshi paijama and dupatta made of rust and gold tissue which contrasts subtly with the soft green satin gote at the hem.

To recreate and contemporise the costume of the era gone by, a team of twelve old craftspeople who understood the stitches and their use on three dimensional surfaces, were employed for four months.

The embroidery was recreated in the likeness of the original by master artists excelling in the craft of zardozi. The 'odhni' is original from the time of the last century and was repaired to form the final part of the ensemble.

Jewelries that would best suit the outfit would be the traditional tikka, jhoommar, jhumkas and necklaces of the royalty of Bhopal.

Working in the field of crafts for more than 30 years, Ritu said that the colonial era had obliterated the use of high skills of the zardozi craftspeople of India and especially those of Bengal.

"The experience of reviving an old heirloom was one of challenge," she said.

Sharmila's daughters Soha and Saba are going to be wearing outfits like gararas and lehngas for the functions of the wedding.