Sanjay Leela Bhansali has given us a date to circle and three first looks to obsess over. Last week, the filmmaker unveiled the first glimpses of ‘Love & War’, announcing that the much-anticipated film starring
Alia Bhatt, Ranbir Kapoor and Vicky Kaushal will arrive in theatres on January 21, 2027. The reveal sent social media into a flurry and, as far as the fashion set was concerned, the real business began the moment those costumes appeared on screen. Alia’s feathered headpiece, the dramatic silhouettes and the period mood offered plenty to zoom into, and even more to ask about.
With months to go before ‘Love & War’ makes its theatrical debut, patience is clearly not the only virtue in a fashion writer’s toolkit. We prefer a closer look, a little sartorial sleuthing and, whenever possible, a conversation with the person behind the clothes. So, we reached out to Veera Kapur Ee, the costume designer bringing Bhansali’s cinematic vision and its stellar cast to life.
Alia Bhatt’s Cabaret Couture: Inside The Vintage Glamour Of Love & War
“It was just a dream come true,” Veera says, speaking exclusively to CNN-News18 about styling Alia for ‘Love & War’. What followed, she tells us, has been an “insane journey”, one that has allowed her to explore an ambitious vision. But the designer is keeping the finer details close to her chest. While the first look reveal has offered us a glimpse into the film’s aesthetic, Veera has a little more to add to the excitement. What we have seen so far, she says, is just the “tip of the iceberg”.
Alia Bhatt’s cabaret-dancer look in ‘Love & War’ has had its moment in the internet spotlight. And while we have all been taking in that fabulous feathered headpiece, there has been a little confusion over the outfit itself. Deep red? Maroon? Reports seem to have picked sides. But before we start debating which shade belongs where on the colour wheel, Veera Kapur Ee has a clarification.
“Basically, it’s part of a song, and it’s set in a club. She wears a black outfit with a black feathered headpiece,” she explains, before stressing, “It’s not maroon. It’s not red. It’s a full black outfit. It’s the lighting that gives it the red effect.”
And while Alia’s cabaret look has already piqued our interest, the costumes for Ranbir and Vicky are being built around a distinctly vintage sensibility. Think classic tailoring, a 1970s influence and a touch of aspirational glamour. “They are classic. They are 70s. They are, I would say they’re aspirational 70s. So we have taken inspiration definitely from the 70s, but we have explored everything possible,” Veera says.
Much of the wardrobe has been created from scratch, with very little sourcing involved. The actors’ suits and uniforms have been made for the film, while a few pieces, such as branded T-shirts, have been sourced. For now, though, Veera is keeping the finer details under wraps. Fair enough. Some fashion secrets are worth waiting for.
Alia Bhatt’s Bawri Wardrobe Is A Bow-Heavy, Bling-Fuelled Affair
While ‘Love & War’ has us decoding every frame, Alia has also been serving a very different fashion mood in ‘Re Bawri’, a song from her production ‘Don’t Be Shy’. Here, the wardrobe is playful, youthful and delightfully unbuttoned, much like the characters who inhabit the film.
The first outfit is a shimmering silver-white mini dress, topped with a white blazer embellished with bows. It is the sort of styling trick that takes a familiar party silhouette and gives it a cheeky little twist. The bows also tie into the visual language of ‘Don’t Be Shy’, where Shy, played by Aarushi Bajaj, is known for her signature bow.
“She instantly loved it when she saw it,” Kapur Ee says of the dress. The team then decided to add a blazer and turn the bow detail into the star of the look. “We decided to do a blazer on the dress and let’s put a lot of bows on it. And guess what, we got it made overnight and quickly put the bows.”
If the first look is all bows and polished charm, the second clearly didn’t come to play. A glittering silver-toned mini dress gets a larger-than-life companion in an oversized lilac-pink fur jacket. The dress brings the sparkle; the jacket brings the drama. Together, they make a convincing case for never letting a party outfit be boring.
“We just wanted it to be a young party theme and blingy fun,” Kapur Ee said, while adding, “The dress is all big, bling and beautiful. And we wanted to not just do a dress. So we added this big fur jacket to make it fun, to add a little craziness to it.”
Both dresses are from Hangover by Saachi. “They were also very cooperative and were excited to send us the stuff. And instantly she loved these two dresses. So it was really a very smooth and quick experience,” Veera shared.
But Alia’s wardrobe is only one part of the sartorial fun in ‘Don’t Be Shy’. Working closely with director Sreeti Mukerji, costume designer Veera Kapur Ee has crafted the cast’s looks to reflect their personalities. From Shy’s sweet, bow-adorned aesthetic to Tara’s unapologetically over-the-top fits, the costumes have a personality of their own.
Dhruv, played by Ansh Duggal, is the dreamy, effortlessly cool sort. Loose trousers, jackets and vests make up his relaxed wardrobe. Shy, meanwhile, is sweet and proper, with shorts, playful sleeves, signature socks and, of course, a bow in her hair. Her look has a carefully put-together innocence that feels entirely her own.
Tara, played by Bianca Arora, is a different story. Subtlety is clearly not on her mood board. Her silver jacket, complete with dramatic fringe, reflects her loud, over-the-top personality.
Then there is Mayank, played by Piyush Khati, whose wardrobe is built around ripped jeans, boots, cool jackets and T-shirts. He gets his own dose of sparkle in the final party look, with a sequinned jacket that fits right into the film’s celebratory mood.
As for ‘Love & War’, the first looks have given us just enough to fuel our curiosity, while Veera’s promise of more keeps us firmly on tenterhooks. If this is only the “tip of the iceberg”, we’re already impatient for the next reveal from Bhansali’s world of ‘Love & War’.
