Kerala’s Kathakali meets UP’s Chikankari and Patolas romance brocades as couturier Manav Gangwani added star dust with Disha Patani in his ICW 2017 showcase.
By Asmita Aggarwal
A beautiful setting overlooking a water body…Fardeen Khan, who is a permanent fixture, a slew of really fast rides…Jaguars, Lamborghinis and Porsche sizzling on the porch of the Lodhi Hotel, it was just the ambience Manav Gangwani would have desired. But we loved the jaltarang player, who was seated at the entrance in a world that is often looking for some calm, he provided that despite the overwhelming dazzle which surrounded him with his small, subtle notes that warmed the cockles of your heart.
At his ICW 207 showing, the illusionist, Manav pendulum-ed between his two inspirations—-the 17th century temple dance form Kathakali and Mughal miniature paintings, so the space odyssey style outfit that Laxmi Rana opened the show which had bold motifs from the former, taking centerstage on full girth lehengas.
The interesting thing about couture is that minty greens are now sliding in along with cherry reds and emeralds and the ubiquitous sharara, which Manav embellished with tone-on-tone embroidery, is now slimmer and tighter at the thighs giving you a lithe look. His deft touches like pleated, mirror work encrusted and tasselled corners of saris, as well as ikat-like printed lehengas with subdued sparkle made bridal wear understand that women prefer softer configurations.
Even more revelatory was how the choli is extinct and slowly made way for trumpet sleeves, these billowing wonders were everywhere and Manav teamed them with almost everything—-from his dhotipants to his lehengas and his Bandhini saris.
Though South India was well represented, by his take on the wedding sari which is traditionally fastened at the waist with gold belts; Manav substituted it with zari embroidered numbers. The flute sleeves and breezy ruffles made a perfect accompaniment to the small bun models sported at the nape of their necks as well as the pearl maang-tikkas and polki sets and surprisingly, septum rings making it as diverse a field as his weaves from Varanasi to his Jamevars from Kashmir and Parsi embroidery as well as Chikankari.
With a vast palette, Manav had embroidered classical dancers turning poseurs on his raw silk lehengas as he offered something for the entire family with his velvet shararas worn with kurtis in charcoal black that opened the doors for the lovely Disha Patani, the woman who has, not just an enviable waist, but also an IT girl title, as the grapevine says, she is the love interest of none other than the six pack dancing genius Tiger Shroff. Wearing an all black velvet lehenga, with shiny elephants trumpet-ing all over it, the Lucknow girl gave day two a befitting end.