Style File: Why doesn't John button his shirt? 
By Deepa Gahlot, January 27, 2007 - 08:50 IST
When a film is packed with stars, like Salaam-E-Ishq is, it becomes quite a task to design a 'look' for each star, and also, presumably mind
everyone's egos – because stars, as we know, have XXL-sized egos.
Anyway, so the one image that remains in the mind most prominently, is that of John Abraham running (and he runs quite a bit) with his shirt
always unbuttoned. Unlike Salman Khan, who loves being bare-chested, John does wear a white ganji (vest) under the shirt, but heck why
didn't the tailor sew buttons?
Then Vidya Balan, who plays a Muslim TV reporter, is given a very strange outfit, a long gharara-like skirt teamed with a long kurta, the kind
women usually wear over salwars. The effect is oddly part-gypsy and part Mumbai chawl girl (which she isn't) whose home dress is a kurta worn
over a sari petticoat. And the kurtas are pretty ghastly-looking at that. Good for Vidya that people are so entranced by her mobile face that they don't
look below the neck.
Juhi Chawla, who plays a character living in London is given a wardrobe of sober and classic western wear, well cut trousers and dark
sweaters. In a couple of festive scenes, she wears saris—typical embroidered ones. After she has started doing slightly older parts, Juhu has shed
the over-the-top style (those sweetheart necklines, flowing skirts, ribbons and corkscrew hair) and looks lovely with straight hair and simple
clothes in tasteful colours.
Priyanka Chopra, playing a wannabe actress, is dressed okay for the part, but who picked that coat she wears in the outdoor scene with
Salman, which looks like it was cut out of an old blanket! The noodle strap black dress teamed with a red coat looked fetching though— Priyanka,
has still not found a style that suits her. Her make-up is still overdone sometimes, and frosted lipstick can look very unattractive on screen.
The pretty Ayesha Takia could tone down on the make-up too, all that eye shadow does nothing for her sweet face. She could have been
given a younger trendier wardrobe, all one notices are those garish engagement-wedding outfits, which are de rigeur now, and one hopes the trend
changes to more sophisticated formal Indian clothes. The colours, sequins and jhatak look is beginning to hurt the eye now.
Govinda, mercifully, does not get to wear his skin-tight trousers and flashy shirts, he is in plain taxi-driver khakis, and the white girl he is
paired with (Shannon Esrechowitz), loses her luggage in the film and is dressed in hippie-style tops, probably picked up from Delhi's Janpath. Nice
touch that.
Anil Kapoor wears non-descript businessman clothes or formals, except for that one unconvincing scene in which he wears a brown
bomber jacket, to look 'cool'.
If there were an award for worst male outfit of the year, Salman Khan's painted jeans and Akshaye Khanna's hideous shirt (the one he wears in the
end) with strips of different kinds of checks stitched together, would surely make it to the list of nominees!
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