Bollywood and sarees are a love story that never gets old. Think of 60s actresses draped gracefully in Indian sarees or the modern stylists experimenting with draping and styling, Bollywood sarees have always inspired generations of women. Sarees have been more than a piece of clothing in Bollywood; they’re a symbol of grace, identity, and elegance.
The Indian saree has found a special place in cinema and our wardrobes. The love for these sarees doesn’t just stop at Bollywood and red carpet, but transcends to real-life fashionistas recreating iconic saree looks for their grand events and day-to-day life.
If you have at least once in your life tried to recreate your favorite Bollywood style saree look, this guide is for you. From a chiffon saree worn during a trending dance set or a regal red-carpet look, here are some of the iconic looks you can recreate:
Iconic Saree Moments That You Can Recreate
- Rekha’s Kanjeevaram Saree Elegance
Rekha is synonymous with grace and elegance in Bollywood. With her red and gold kanjeevaram sarees paired with bold red lipstick, Rekha has been turning heads and serving saree dream looks for decades now.
Crafted out of silk with intricate zari and thread work, Kanjeevaram sarees are a great choice for big events and festivals like weddings and Diwali, where your outfit needs to shine as bright as your surroundings. To recreate some of Rekha’s iconic looks, go for a red and gold kanjeevaram saree, paired with a bold red lip color and minimal makeup.
- Alia Bhatt’s Saree Looks
Alia Bhatt’s saree game has been on point for the last few years. Be it her Met Gala floral saree look from 2024 or her montage of saree looks from Rocky Rani ki Prem Kahani, all her outfits have been the talk of the town, trending on social media, and the best part? They are easy to recreate. Just pair a chiffon or georgette saree with a sleeveless blouse, keep the makeup minimal, and add a sleek hairstyle to complete the look.
- Deepika Padukone’s Saree Moments
Remember Deepika’s black and gold saree in Cocktail or her blue saree during Badtameez Dil? These looks had the entire fashion community in a chokehold. While the western touch in these sarees appealed to the younger women, her wedding lookbook spoke to the older women. If you’re planning to attend a haldi or sangeet function, go for Deepika’s blue saree look from Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, soft curls, and minimal makeup. For the main wedding function or a festive function, go for satin, silk, or sequin sarees with heavy jewelry.
- Madhuri Dixit In Hum Aapke Hai Koun
Madhuri Dixit’s purple saree from Hum Aapke Hai Koun was not just an icon in the 90s, but still sets fashion goals to this day. Choose a saree with a heavy border and playful designs like ruffles and net, making for the perfect festive wear. Make the outfit dance floor ready by adding colorful bangles and a blouse with a trending neck design, such as sweetheart or boatneck, and minimal earrings.
How to Recreate These Bollywood Saree Looks
- Choose the right fabric: Fabrics play a very important role in how the saree looks and how well the look is recreated. Go for chiffon and georgette if the look you are trying to recreate is flowy, and for silk or kanjeevaram sarees if you are looking to recreate a Bollywood wedding look.
- Experiment with drapes: What sets Rekha’s saree game apart is not just the saree collection, but also the draping styles followed by her. You can experiment with various draping styles like front pleats by Mumtaz or a thin pallu drape that is often seen on Kriti Sanon.
- Blouse matters: Don’t be afraid to experiment with blouse styles when it comes to recreating these Bollywood looks. The blouse might set your look slightly apart from the original look, but it will also help you stand out from the crowd.
- Accessorise smartly: Take cues and inspiration from the Bollywood look you are planning to recreate and accessorise smartly. For silk and heavy sarees, accessorise well, and keep it minimal for contemporary Bollywood styles.
While Bollywood has given us countless saree inspirations, each style comes with its unique story. Recreating these iconic drapes is a perfect way to blend tradition with modernity, while capturing the glamor of the Indian saree.
So the next time you are looking for inspiration for a wedding, a party, festival, search for some jaw-dropping Bollywood saree looks, recreate them, and get ready to shine!
