"Had 5 Security Guards For Hrithik-Aishwarya's Jewels In Jodhaa Akbar": Designer Neeta Lulla

New Delhi:

History always has an irreplaceable sheen. Thankfully, films serve as a medium to traverse back to that realm, experiencing the grandeur and richness it reverberates through beautifully stylised cinematic frames.

Period dramas have long fascinated cinegoers. Unlike other genres, they transport us to eras of imaginative occurrences and revered entities. Ashutosh Gowariker's 2008 film Jodhaa Akbar was one such platter, offering an immortal capturing of romance, strategic alliances, and cultural synthesis, where Mughal history met Rajput glory in the 16th century.

Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai in Jodhaa Akbar

Led by Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Hrithik Roshan, the film completes 18 years today. Beyond the regal sets and AR Rahman's mellifluous score, the costumes-as is true of every historical epic-holds its ground effortlessly.

Four-time National Award-winning costume designer Neeta Lulla is befittingly crowned queen of this distinct film category. With a career spanning over four decades, the Indian costume designer and couturier's keen eye for meticulous detailing and in-depth research leads to majestic transformations on celluloid.

In an exclusive conversation with NDTV, Neeta Lulla opened up about the monumental responsibility of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Hrithik Roshan's jewellery on set, a rigorous year-long prep, and the varying tastes of opulence between Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Ashutosh Gowariker.

"5 Security Guards Manned The Jewellery Room"

As per several online reports, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was decked out with over 200 kg of gold and stone-studded jewellery throughout the film. 

Neeta Lulla recalls Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's reaction every time the designer visited her vanity.

The costume designer shares, "Whenever I took an outfit to her room or vanity, the first look I got was like, aa gayi. So apart from wearing the lehenga and choli and just pinning the dupatta, there was this jewellery that had to be taken care of. Two people used to hold it. And then I would pack it with four threads. You have to ensure the necklace isn't moving, isn't heavy, and isn't pulling you down-so you can move easily."

Aishwarya Rai in Jodhaa Akbar

The jewellery played a robust role of its own on set. Neeta Lulla shares that five security guards were put on duty to safeguard it.

She adds, "There were five security guards manning the jewellery room. Everything was noted down, given to the actor, taken back, and re-listed. One time, a little bead fell off one of the earrings. The security guards came running to me, all panicked. He pointed and said, 'Isme yeh bead kho gaya.' Everyone came running, and suddenly everyone's walkie-talkie started buzzing."

Like a scintillating blueprint of Mughal miniatures-a glorious set of kundan chokers, enamelled polki, and regal borlas-Jodhaa Akbar's jewellery was designed in collaboration with Tanishq.

"Hrithik Roshan Was Very Attentive"

The crafty play of colours, patterns, and fabrics make the designing process for epics like Jodhaa Akbar all the more enchanting.

The royal palette of the Mughals contrasted sharply with that of the Rajputs. While specks of saffrons and yellows dominated the Rajput wardrobe, Akbar's (Hrithik Roshan's) featured more grounded hues of gold, brown, and beige.

Hrithik Roshan in Jodhaa Akbar

One of the most distinct parts of Akbar's collection was the metallic armour worn by him, sculpted and etched in Jaipur; the scabbards alone weighed up to 2 kilograms.

Neeta Lulla takes us down memory lane with an anecdote highlighting Hrithik Roshan's attention to detail.

Hrithik Roshan's armour in Jodhaa Akbar

She says, "I thought Hrithik would come to me and say, 'Kitna pehna rahi hai', but on the contrary, he was very cooperative. Once I went for a fitting, and to my sensibilities, things were looking right-but I had missed one point. He told me, 'This side of my armhole is a quarter inch bigger than this side.'"

She continues, "I looked at it and said, 'You're so right-it is exactly a quarter inch.' He's very attentive. And the armour, we had to fit it, and I had to chisel it for body shaping. I didn't know how to do it because I said, 'I can't chisel it without you wearing it.' So he said, 'Who's stopping you? Come on, make me wear it and chisel it. Let's do it.'"

The Storied Worlds Of Ashutosh Gowariker And Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Neeta Lulla has done diverse work with two of the most impressive directors of magnum opuses. With Sanjay Leela Bhansali, she worked on Devdas and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. With Ashutosh Gowariker, the world of Jodhaa Akbar was planned, prepped, and turned into a larger-than-life spectacle.

The veteran designer gives us a peek into their different working styles,"Both have similar techniques. Both are sticklers for perfection and do a lot of research. Sanjay's love for fabric-he'll hold it with such nazakat that you fall in love with it. Ashu is more into the magnificence of the jewellery; he knows embellishment encapsulates the entire look. Both have a very similar, yet very different, format of expertise in the grandiose."

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in Devdas

She adds, "Sanjay is more into constricted spaces like rooms, mahals, and palaces. Ashu's more about the exterior-the army and the scale of people. Although again, I'm reiterating that both are very similar."

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan (L) and Hrithik Roshan (R) in Jodhaa Akbar

"Grooms Still Come For Hrithik Roshan's Jodhaa Akbar Wedding Outfit"

Talk about a lasting impression. Neeta Lulla chuckles as she says customers still ask for Jodhaa Akbar-styled outfits.

She explains, "At that point in time, I had grooms who came and wanted the Hrithik wedding outfit with everything-the sword, the kalgi, the necklace, every detail. And up until now, I have grooms who send me reference images saying, 'Can you make us this?'"

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Hrithik Roshan in Jodhaa Akbar

That was the aura-and thus the magic.

The rich Indian textiles-brocades, silks, and cottons, often heavily embellished with zardozi, kundan, and embedded stones-matched the glint of the real gold and precious stone-encrusted jewels, along with heavy kundan work.

With 18 years upon us, Neeta Lulla's groundbreaking contribution to Indian cinema has left resounding echoes in how history comes to life on the big screen. Jodhaa Akbar remains a splendour of such indelible artistry.