HYDERABAD: CE speaks to super talented and award-winning costume designer Neeta Lulla as she attends an event in the city to commemorate her Best Costume Design Award for her work in the movie, Shaakuntalam at Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes Film Festival 2023 was an exciting showcase of Indian talent with an electrifying buzz throughout the event. Amidst the stunning spectacles, one name that emerged as the talk of the town was Neeta Lulla, the celebrated couturier, costume designer & stylist with a career spanning over 300 films. Winner of four National Awards, the designer has now backed another extraordinary achievement in her name. Her unparalleled talent has earned her the prestigious distinction of being the first Indian woman to win the Best Costume Design Award for her work in the movie, ‘Shaakuntalam’ at the festival.
Neeta’s design philosophy takes inspiration from the Edwardian era with a modern twist using the age of handloom techniques from India. Some of her most statement and iconic design elements is the usage of kalamkari, paithani, the iconic nauvari sarees among many others.
Based on the play by Kaalidasa, Shaakuntalam is a historical romantic drama directed by Gunasekhar starring Samantha as Shakuntala and Dev Mohan as Dushyanta. Defined by her students as a weaver of magic on set, Neeta Lulla has woven her magic again by bringing the beauty of Shakuntala to life, giving a vision to a myth. The regal wear has left people in awe not just in India, but internationally too.
To commemorate this huge achievement, Hamstech College of Creative Education organised a celebration event at FTCCI, Lakadikapul. The event resonated with pride as students and interns who have worked under Neeta Lulla shared their heartfelt experiences and congratulated her on this achievement. Followed by a felicitation ceremony and cutting of the celebratory cake, Neeta Lulla addressed the audience and spoke to us about her win.
“My first reaction was ‘Oh okay’,” she laughs, “That was my first reaction to my first National Award also. But right now, I’m looking forward to many more projects.” About her work in Shaakuntalam, she says, “With period dramas, there is an aspect of authenticity and creating realism. You can’t distort the style identity of Shakuntala or Dushyanta. So we had to work within those norms but create something prettier. They call me a technician and the team rarely opposes what I tell them. I think it’s about the excitement with which I talk about everything.”
She continues, “This was more than a period drama, it was mythology and for me, it was a beautiful journey because I’ve grown up reading comics like Amar Chitra Katha. We’ve always known Shakuntala was the epitome of beauty and we’ve seen paintings by artists Raja Ravi Verma or others. So, when I was working on the project, all those kinds of visuals came to mind. And I thought I must do something which is more memorable, something that could be larger than life. Because this was the past, I had to make it relatable and acceptable to the audiences of today.”
Revealing her recent creative endeavours, Neeta Lulla has wrapped up her work on two highly anticipated films. One of them is the much-awaited Bro, featuring Pawan Kalyan and Sai Dharam Teja and the other is Chandramukhi 2, directed by P Vasu. Her involvement in these projects has undoubtedly heightened the excitement surrounding these films.