Some families pass down heirloom jewellery, but the Pataudis have a rather more spectacular tradition: royal headgear with a century of history. And this Diwali, Kareena Kapoor dipped her hands into the royal baubles
and incorporated a gorgeous piece of that family legacy into her festive wardrobe, wearing a pearl-draped turban and a diamond kalgi that belongs to her husband, Saif Ali Khan. Paired with a silver-worked beige kaftan by Punit Balana, the look was a departure from the usual festive lehenga and saree, but it was the history resting on her head that had us look twice.
As per Deepthi Sasidharan, who shared the story of the Kalgi on her Instagram page (which was reshared by Rhea Kapoor), the diamond accessory is anything but ordinary. Its story goes back to Hamidullah Khan, the last ruling Nawab of Bhopal, who served as honorary aide-de-camp to Edward, Prince of Wales, in 1921–22. The three feathers of the Prince of Wales’s heraldic badge are said to have inspired the design of this magnificent diamond ornament, which is held in place by four rows of pearls. It later passed from Hamidullah Khan to his daughter, Begum Sajida Sultan, and eventually to her grandson, Saif Ali Khan. Saif wore the piece at his wedding to Kareena. Now, the actor has given it a new outing, wearing it as the centrepiece of her Diwali look. A wonderful way to add another chapter to a family heirloom, may we add.
For the outfit, Kareena moved away from sarees and suits and chose a custom-looking beige kaftan by Punit Balana, featuring intricate chandi ka kaam (silver work). She paired her kaftan with a substantial antique-gold choker, layered with a statement emerald pendant necklace. On Instagram, some users added that she had won the same choker at sister Karisma Kapoor’s wedding in 2003. The rest of the styling was kept relatively restrained. Her hair fell loosely around the turban, while defined kohl, smoky eyes, warm bronzed cheeks and a glossy nude lip completed the look.
