2024-09-01 14:10:19
Dolly Ahluwalia’s acting is as lively on screen as she is skilled in designing costumes for actors behind the scenes. The actor who won the National Award for Best Supporting Actor in ‘Vicky Donor’ has also won the National and three Filmfare Awards as a costume designer for Bandit Queen, ‘Haider’. When she came to Bhatkhande Sanskrit University recently, we talked to her a lot.
The biggest contribution of NSD
I learnt the art of costume designing from my aunt. It was she who taught me the combination of colours and the understanding of what looks good on the body. We are three sisters. My father himself used to stitch frocks for us when we were small. He also made our shoes. You can say that the foundation of this was laid by the family. When I went to college, I used to participate a lot in cultural activities, which helped me understand a little more. However, the biggest contribution was of the National School of Drama (NSD). There I learnt that costume designing is a thing. My guru was Ibrahim Alkhaji. Roshan Alkhaji and his daughter were also experts in costume designing. I learnt a lot by working with them.
I used to get 50 paise for buying clothes
I remember it was my first year in NSD in 1976 and Roshan Alkhaji had come. In those days, we used to get 50 paise to go to Old Delhi by jostling in DTC buses and buy plain and printed fabrics of different shapes. Along with those clothes, we were taught which thread to thread first and how to thread it. After that, I learnt a relationship with books. We learnt how the costume of a character should be in old plays by looking at paintings, main strips and sculptures. We got to know them by going into books, did research and then learnt how to translate them into costumes.
Clothing has its own language
I started assisting in costume designing from my school and college days. Earlier, there were many opportunities. Now there are choices in specialization but in our time, we were asked what contribution you will give other than being an actor. Now, students are available only from one discipline. Costume designing has its own language. If you don’t give dialogues in a play and give costumes, it will tell what it is about. Take Charlie Chaplin for example. Everything was his acting and costumes. Costume designing is a strong element. Nowadays, people make fashion a status. If fashion is a status, then it must have depth. There should be that much understanding. If you are making a dress with safety pins, then it is a challenge for me but is it necessary? This also has to be kept in mind. It is just like our aim to reach the moon and Mars should be a purpose and not hunger.
I drank incense sticks instead of cigarettes and tea instead of rum
In the films ‘Love Shav Te Chicken Khurana’ and ‘Vicky Donor’, I was seen consuming both cigarettes and alcohol, but I never touched them. In ‘Love Shav…’, director Sameer had cast me. When he came to know that I don’t smoke, he got upset, but I am passionate about acting. I asked for some time. I asked for a cigarette and filled it with incense stick. I told Kunal that I will dip down and come up. A man was sitting downstairs with a cigarette. I come downstairs with the same incense stick in my mouth and immediately release it. Those were my only two cut shots. In ‘Vicky Donor’, when I and Kamleshwarji were shown drinking, we were given tea. The art person of the film was so perfect that he knew what kind of colour the rum should have. He made tea exactly like rum. Shoojit was so alert that he would make a peg of original rum and then compare it with that fake rum.
I wear my own designed costumes
I wear my own designed costumes. Be it Saif’s or Kangana’s. The reason behind this is the actor inside me. Actually, I am able to enjoy the costume because I am an actor myself. I want to see if the actor in front of me is comfortable in my costume or not. Then when I see myself in that costume, I can visualize how Nirmal Pandey looks in Bandit Queen. I make all my assistants models. They wear all the costumes and act out the scene. They enjoy it and their creativity also increases.
Now the era of fast food has arrived
Dolly Ahluwalia says that my Guru Ibrahim Alkhaji Ji had told me, ‘Acting is in your blood, but you should focus on costume designing because you have a great eye for it.’ I understood his words and followed them and today I am here. For me costume designing is worshipful. If someone throws it away like this, I will shout. Children of today are becoming casual. It is not their fault because now the times have changed. If I am hungry for three rotis, I should know how to enjoy it. There should be a feeling that I am eating three rotis, only then will you go into that depth. I tell children to see things from this perspective also. Now the era of fast food has come. Today everything is needed quickly. I am not blaming anyone for this. Nowadays there are no such Gurus who can recognize the quality by looking at it or the disciple becomes completely devoted to the Guru. Nowadays there is so much competition that we want results quickly. Due to this things are getting left behind, but I hope that this will be understood in the future.
I am incomplete without my team
I have received many big awards for costume designing. I give all the credit for ‘Rangoon’ to Ketan Mehta, who took it upon himself and got me the Screen Award. My team and I worked very hard on the costumes of Saif and Kangana. I took on challenges in ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’ and worked with my team. I am incomplete without my team. From my tailor, assistant to dress dada, ironer, my cobbler, everyone is like family to me. When I design a costume, my tailor understands it and tells me that if I design it like this, it will be difficult to make it. I take ideas from everyone. The ideas of today’s students attract me a lot. Their energy is completely different. I want to wear their energy for a few moments. I always say that costume is the skin of every character.
It’s fun to climb step by step
Hard work has taught me a big lesson in life. I worked hard and put in a lot of effort. It taught me the importance of a foundation. My foundation is hard work and honesty. It is only with their help that I have been able to fly. Whenever I do something, I remember this first and I teach the same to my children. I say that it may take time to achieve something in life, but if your hard work and honesty are true, you will definitely get it. The more you climb step by step, the more fun you will have. During this time, it is a game of staying awake and loving yourself because if you have both these things, then the hurry to reach quickly will end.