How the costumes in Dil Dhadakne Do showcased the characters’ personalities

A film directed by Zoya Akhtar is nothing less than a family drama with dysfunctional connections. Its plot frequently takes detours towards self-realisation. A larger-than-life setting in Dil Dhadakne Do highlights the cruise, the rich and the reckless, as well as the lighthearted spirit that permeate the plot. And the fashion truly stands out.

The characters’ attire significantly contributes to defining the tone and enhancing the cinematography along with the exotic locations. The character’s clothing not only defines them but also functions as an unavoidable extension of their changing personalities, it becomes apparent as the film progresses. Arjun Bhasin, the stylist, was in charge of the lead actors’ looks in the film.

Ayesha, played by Priyanka Chopra, was one of the most stylishly interesting characters.The successful yet unappreciated daughter of the Mehras wore a striped tube top over palazzo trousers and a white buttoned-up shirt with the latter becoming one of her most well-known outfits from the movie. The comfortable tie-dye dresses oozed sensuality, her broad shoulders flowed in the flared gowns, and her pyjamas brought fun to comfort. Using solid colours and simple, uncomplicated silhouettes, she perfectly captured the demeanour of a youthful, mature lady.

More than any other look, Ayesha’s shoulder-baring shirts and tailored trousers are to her advantage. If there’s one thing fans of the movie discovered, it’s that palazzo trousers were undoubtedly the coolest new kids on the block when it came to fashion.

A character that has stayed in fans’ hearts, in spite of a relatively shorter screen time, was Dil Dhadakne Do’s Farah Ali. Considering the ensemble cast of the movie, her screen time is fairly short, yet it still has enough impact to inspire the audience, especially young women.

Farah is mostly portrayed in the movie as an exception to the upper-class, wealthy passengers. She is not arrogant or hypocritical, and unlike Ayesha and Neelam, she is not required to comply with society’s expectations.  She appears to be the result of filmmaker Zoya Akhtar’s feminist perspective, which aims to depart from the lifestyles of the other characters. Anushka Sharma is a rebel who travels around the globe doing what she enjoys.

Her style is a blend of breezy bohemian pieces and effortless athleisure. The bohemian ensembles showcase her free-spirited personality while the athleisure is all about her killer dance abilities. Her character wears a lot of flowy silhouettes with fringes, stacks of bracelets and rather carefree ensembles. She carries a casual backpack rather than a structured bag and opts for longer layerable jewellery.

Despite her more casual and free-flowing outfits symbolising carefree attitudes, most of her colour palette is dark- which shows her struggle and her journey.  In the song, Girls like To Swing, she is dressed as a flapper girl from the 1920s who were well regarded as symbols of rebellion and flaunted their disdain for what was considered appropriate behaviour.