Bollywood has a huge impact on the Indian audience and fashion trends are not unaffected by them. People look forward to their favorite Bollywood celebrities and follow them. Fashion, style, personality, and even the personal life of celebrities is not their own. Indian audiences are interested in everything.
Talking of the widely popular relationship, Bollywood and fashion, we have to accept that they go hand in hand. From active wear to party wear and form red carpet wear to home wear, whatever Bollywood celebrities wear becomes the trend and fashion.
There are a few Bollywood movie characters who have a great liking among the people because you feel connected to them immediately. And as soon as the movie ends, you start searching about their look and character.
You are lost in that Bollywood movie character so much that you want to be like them - trying to copy everything of that character. From hairstyle to kurta, from dialogues to makeup, and from the walk to poses, you want to adopt the fashion trend of that Bollywood character.
30 Bollywood Movie Characters Who Inspired Fashion Trends
1. SHREE 420 (Raj aka Raj Kapoor)
“Mera joota hai Japani, ye patlun Englishtani, Sar pe lal topi Roosi, phir bhi dil hai Hindustani” (Raj Kapoor, Shree 420)
Everyone remembers this evergreen line from Shree 420. Veteran Bollywood actor and fashion icon, Raj Kapoor has definitionally left a huge impact on the Indian audience. Quarter pants, cowboy hat, and cap toe shoes not only became a party rocker at that time but also became a signature fashion style for Raj Kapoor. Even now, quarter pants and Raj Kapoor’s Shree 420 style are in fashion.
Raj Kapoor sahab’s look fueled a different fashion trend at that time. People not only liked his fashion, but also followed it without haste. Raj Kapoor was an icon who made quarter pants, cowboy hats, and cap to shoes appealing for the Indian audiences. He did it so well that his look is still in fashion.
This is why Raj Kapoor sahab is regarded as one of the greatest influential actors and filmmakers in the history of Indian cinema.
2. An Evening in Paris (Deepa aka Sharmila Tagore)
If you have to think of retro, what things came to your mind? Bold eye winged liner, silk and chiffon saree, hot red bow headgear, lilac suit, or a white saree tamed with red roses as accessories in a bun?
These all things that form the part of a bold look became known to us because of the famous Bollywood actress, Sharmila Tagore. In the movie, An Evening in Paris, Sharmila Tagore aka Deepa left everyone stunned with her looks and dress. When her look was out, people were not only mad about her fashion and looks but also about her makeup.
Going back into time, ‘Fashion’ was a synonym for Sharmila Tagore. From her hairstyle to her one-piece bikini that was a breathtaking sensation at that time, everything was perfect to set a new fashion trend.
The fashion and makeup goals that Sharmila Tagore has given to this industry are still a big hit on-ramp. She not only gave us classic Bollywood movies but also defined the fashion at her time. Thus, Deepa from An Evening in Paris is one amongst the Bollywood Movie characters who changed fashion trends in India.
3. Hare Rama Hare Krishna (Janice aka Zeenat Aman)
The film “Hare Rama Hare Krishna” was a breakthrough Bollywood movie for Zeenat Aman. In the early 1970s, when hippie culture was spreading all over the world, Bollywood left everyone stunned with this out of the box movie.
“Hare Rama Hare Krishna” has given us the ‘Boldest’ lead actress of Bollywood till date. Zeenat Aman has portrayed very strong characters but Janice was something that introduces the whole new culture which is in fashion till now.
A loose “Hare Rama Hare Krishna” written all over a kurta, rounded shades, nude lip color, and weed were some of the fashion that came in the early 70s and became a hit. Thus, Zeenat Aman’s look in Hare Rama Hare Krishna was one that changed fashion trends in India.
4. Brahmachari (Roopa Sharma aka Mumtaz)
There are so many Bollywood Divas who have given major saree goals to us. One such Bollywood movie character is Roopa Sharma from the movie Brahmachari.
Saree fashion trends in India have become the heart of almost every party, function, farewell, and whatnot. Mumtaz as Roopa Sharma, wearing the iconic orange saree in “Aaj Kal tere mere pyaar ke charche”, was something that became the fashion trend of that generation.
In the song, Mumtaz draped a form-fitted orange saree, which featured gold gota border and frilled hemline, with a short sleeveless blouse paired with gold chandelier earrings, gold choker necklace, and perfect winged eyeliner.
Mumtaz draped this saree herself in a low waist. This orange saree became a huge hit and till date, the recent divas of Bollywood want to be dressed like this for at least once. Ladies still look for an occasion to drape a saree like Mumtaz and this one is a very popular Bollywood inspired fashion trend.
5. Don (Don aka Amitabh Bachchan)
Bell bottom pants were generally a female garment before Rishi Kapoor went abroad to buy it, and told his costume designer that he wanted to wear it. This was the very first time when a male in Bollywood came in bell-bottom.
Later it was brought in fashion by Amitabh Bachchan in Don. “Khaike paan Banaras wala” became a super trendy song and the look that Amitabh Bachchan had carried became a widely followed fashion trend in India.
It won’t be wrong to say that Bell bottom pants gained popularity because of Mr. Bachchan. After Don, most of the Bollywood movies were in focus for the bell-bottom pants. Being a unisex garment, it has become the part of everybody’s regular outfit. Thus, Amitabh Bachchan in Don is a movie character who changed fashion trends in India.
6. Bobby (Bobby Braganza aka Dimple Kapadia)
Dimple Kapadia has brought never-ending trends in India by way of her Bollywood movies. One of them is the fashion trend of Polka Dots, which first appeared in the Bollywood film Bobby, a super hit movie released in 1973.
Dimple Kapadia’s look in which she wore a crop knotted polka dot top with a fitted knee-length skirt in the movie Bobby was followed by one and all. If we look at it, the film Bobby brought two very different trends in the Indian fashion - one, Polka dots and two, crop knotted tops.
These two fashion trends became super popular in India as the very ‘Dimple Kapadia’ style. It has been almost 47 years since this movie and the dress that Bobby aka Dimple Kapadia wore became an evergreen fashion trend in India.
As of today, apparels with polka dots have become the heart of every summer season wardrobe. Even male Bollywood celebrities like Ranveer Singh are wearing polka dots now. If Bollywood celebrities can’t keep themselves away from these classic looks how can we?
7. Chandni (Rohit Gupta aka Rishi Kapoor)
Rishi Kapoor never believed in the following fashion; instead, he believed in making one. This is why Rishi Kapoor wanted to try something out of the box every time when it came to fashion. Rishi Kapoor was never afraid to try out of the box and hence his fashionable style is known as “Rishi style”.
In the early 90s, usually male Bollywood actors wore jeans and a casual t-shirt. Rishi Kapoor chose to do the opposite and chose to wear warm colored cardigans, slim fitted pants, metallic watches, and very colorful sunglasses in Chandni. And, Rishi Kapoor’s role in the movie Chandni gave us such a stylish winter look.
When Rishi Kapoor didn’t wear a cardigan he was supposed to, he used to tie it around his neck and give the shot. Later, this style was followed by Shahrukh khan in the film Mohabbatein.
Rishi Kapoor had one very fresh style every time for his fans in each of his Bollywood movies. And indeed, he was not only a Bollywood actor but also a fashion style icon. Undoubtedly, his Bollywood movie characters changed fashion trends in India.
8. Mr. India (Seema aka Sridevi)
“Hawa Hawai'' is an unforgettable character in one of the Bollywood movies. Queen of hearts, Sridevi, not only stole hearts by her goofy character and acting, but also with her fashion style in the movie Mr India.
Seema aka Sridevi, who is a journalist in this Bollywood movie, gained a lot of limelight for her fashion and looks. While looking at the blue chiffon saree, you can’t help but think about Sridevi’s sensuous dance “kaate nahi kat te ye din ye raat”. You can’t forget her Golden maxi dress, black knee-length skirt, and that’s with red dupatta.
The Hawa Hawai look has struck our hearts. People used to mock saying the movie name should be ‘Miss India’ as the Sridevi character was such a showstopper. And since Sridevi’s character brought about a change in fashion trends in India, it was an iconic one.
9. Hum Aapke hain Kaun (Nisha aka Madhuri Dixit)
When we talk about fashion trends in India inspired by Bollywood characters, we cannot afford to miss Nisha (Madhuri Dixit) from Hum Aapke Hain Kaun. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that the Bollywood movie, Hum Aapke Hain Kaun, is all about Madhuri Dixit’s Fashion.
From “Didi Tera Devar Deewana'' to “Dhiktana'', there is something fashionable for everyone to follow in Madhuri’s Hum Aapke hain Kaun look. What became the talk of the town was ‘The purple saree with backless and full sleeves blouse’. This purple saree became every girl’s wedding look.
Green blouse with an embellished neck and cuffs paired with a white skirt was another fashion trend that gained a lot of eyeballs. Other than that, ‘red and golden kurta with salwar’, ‘the red lace dress’, ‘yellow and golden salwar kameez’, and many more make it one Bollywood film that started major fashion trends and styles in India.
10. Kuch Kuch Hota hai (Rahul aka Shah Rukh Khan, Anjali aka Kajol Devgan, Tina aka Rani Mukerji)
Tina, Rahul, and Anjali are 3 bollywood characters that every 80s teenager is looking to be. Kuch Kuch Hota hai was a story of friendship, love, sacrifice, and of course, fashion. The Bollywood movie changed the style and brought different fashion trends in India.
Talking of the fashion trends inspired from the bollywood film Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, it would not be wrong to say that every teenager at that time got a major college goal from it. Every college goer could be seen in a Jumpsuit, body tight polo t-shirt, velvet dress, platform boots, loose jacket tied around the waist, and lastly, pantsuit.
Friendship bands, bob hair cut, broad hair bands, plastic heels, and “cool” necklaces were few things other than a garment that got placed in everyday life of Indians. Tina, Rahul, and Anjali created magic on screen and these three Bollywood characters changed the fashion trends in india.
Continue Reading: 30 Bollywood Movie Characters Who Changed Fashion Trends in India (Part 2)
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