There was a glorious period back in the late 90s and early 2000s when Yash Raj Films’ movies defined Bollywood for cinemagoers. They had the network to produce movies like Mohabbatein with extensive ensemble casts including Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, sprinkled with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Uday Chopra, Shamita Shetty, Kim Sharma + 33 others.
While the film was released 23 years ago, rewatching it recently made me realise just how unaware and accepting we were as the audience. However, we’re not here to discuss plot lines and script discrepancies. We’re here to talk fashion. So, let’s dive right into it!
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Thanking the costume department of ‘Mohabbatein’
Image credit: YRF,
While Shamita and Kim were exceptionally modern with their cut-out crop tops and matching bell-bottom pants, Preeti was handed all the traditional outfits, though ones that came with a side of sexy—stringy kurtas, pop-coloured blouses and other items of clothing that established her moral high ground in the film. Take a look at some of the stills from the movie and you’ll get what we’re talking about! A lot of character development happened through the clothing. Manish Malhotra was hired, riding high on the success of his 90s styling career, and his clothes literally made girls want to be Bollywood stars! There’s even a sequence where all three ladies dance for their prospective partners [crush or whatever they were at that point]. When a full dance sequence makes you crave for a separate YouTube video, you know it’s serious!
The contrast in Shamita and Aishwarya’s wardrobes
Video credit: YRF
You need to see the workout clothes that Shamita wears in the film—she means business and she’s not taking no for an answer! In that respect, Uday Chopra seems like he’s been FORCED to watch a really hot woman dance in front of him. Even Aishwarya gets the traditional treatment in the film. Her outfits are exceptionally sanskaari with chiffon sarees and kurta sets but they always come with a side of sexy. Take her blue lehenga set that she’s seen wearing in a song, for instance. It’s basically a blouse with a sheer dupatta and a skirt! Classic but hot.
The many songs in the ‘Mohabbatein’
Video credit: YRF
For the 3758 other songs, styling can be seen as an important aspect. In ‘Aankhein Khuli’, Shamita is seen wearing a metallic silver crop top while Kim dons a fitted micro mini and Preeti goes for a salwar kameez. In the Holi song, they’re all showcasing their personalities through their outfits again. Think more crop tops and more salwars. Overall, I’d just like to say that we were really naive back then and probably saw ALL of these outfits as magical. TBH, back then in 2000, they probably even were. However, looking at it nearly 23 years later, it’s 216 minutes of Y2K outfits we’d now think twice about! Be careful though, because the nostalgia’s gonna hit you like a truck!
Lead and social Image credit: YRF, Title: Styling review of Mohabbatein movie,
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