From suggesting clothes for friends and family to choosing the right costume for actors, NJ Sathya has come a long way. The young cricketer-actor-stylist has a fresh approach to every film and doesn’t believe in reusing his design philosophy.
“I don’t recycle ideas or rehash from costumes that I used in earlier projects. When it comes to styling men, it’s not as easy as styling women, given the sheer variety of garments and styles. So within limitations, I need to be creative and understand the character in the film. The choice of colours and the style of the costume is important and I go with patterns, and try to innovate with long-forgotten styles. Getting the right fit is mandatory,” he says.
Despite struggling initially in the film industry, his persistence finally paid off. “I have done costumes for 28 films till now,” says Sathya, who’s simultaneously working on a slew of projects such as Anbanavan Asaradhavan Adangadhavan, Bairavaa, Shivalinga, Kaththi Sandai, and Yeman among others.
“Meticulous attention to detail is the hallmark of a good costume designer. As soon as I listen to a script, I can come up with ideas on what a character would wear,” he explains. “My job is to bring in a sense of wholesomeness to a character. Of course, you need to understand the actor’s physical limitations and showcase their best. The key is to design outfits that are realistic.”
Citing Bairaava as an example, he points out, “I have tried something new on Vijay. After the release of the film, the shirts, collars, and handcuffs will become a fashion statement. Through these years, I have learnt to express myself as a better designer.”
Quiz him on who’s the best-dressed actor, he say without hesitation: “Vijay! I wanted to get into films because of him. Vijay doesn’t have any starry airs about him. He’s chilled out and gives absolute freedom to experiment. He also has a great sense of style. I had to understand his likes and dislikes, and style him based on his personality. He’s open to new ideas and encourages new trends.”
Sathya says the industry has warmed up to costume designers now, and treating them with more respect. “It wasn’t easy but things have been good so far,” he smiles. Interestingly, his parents had other plans for him. “My parents wanted me to become a cricketer,” he laughs.