Bollywood Inspired Wedding Trends
Bollywood has shaped many bridal Indian trends over many decades, from Madhuri Dixit in “Hum Aapke Hain Kaun” to Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in “Jodha Akbar”. All those designer gowns, grandiose heritage outfits and many more noteworthy trends are enough to have any fashionistas drooling and daydreaming about her own wedding outfit.
The Evolution of Bollywood Inspired Bridal Wear through the Decades
1960-1970
The light blue outfit worn by Madhubala in the song “Jab Pyar Kiya Toh Darna Kya” is one of the most renowned attires from “Mughal-E-Azam”. This dress is form-fitted to the waist with an umbrella-shaped bottom also known as Anarkali. This outfit inspired many brides to have this kind of ensemble for their trousseau collection. Anarkalis came in many styles from floor length to above the ankle length and could be seen in suits, gowns and Angrakha styles. The exquisite Hath Phool in the movie is still by brides today. The layered jewellery and the shararas used in the film, “Pakeezah” also became the bridal favourites.
1980-1990
Inspired by the film “Mughal-E-Azam”, Rekha wore 60’s style anarkalis in the film “Umrao Jaan”. The metallic gold of the Anarkali with an exquisite matching organza dupatta and gold jewellery has inspired a lot of brides. The 80s era reminds you of the brighter colour palette donned by Sridevi. The gota patti, gossamer sarees paired with sleeveless blouses and flashy ornaments saw popularity in the bridal fashion scene.
1990- 2000
Kajol’s bridal lehenga from the film “Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge” is one of the most famous wedding lehengas of all time. The outfit was created by Manish Malhotra. The gold embroidery complements the beige kurta-lehenga combination, making it a classic trendsetter.
In the iconic song “Didi Tera Devar Deewana”, Madhuri Dixit wore a stunning jewel-studded purple satin saree with floral decorations along with a backless blouse with full sleeves which became a benchmark for many Indian weddings. From the unusual colours to the intricate details to the somewhat traditional yet daring blouse, she became the trendsetter for the impressionable public.
The blingy jewellery was also popular during the late 1990s. It became more popular to see brides wearing jhoomars/passas during Muslim or Sikh Marriages.
2000-2010
While Deepika Padukone may have worn white to wedding ceremonies in her films, it wasn’t until “Veer Zaara” that the colour was ever considered a trend for wedding outfits. Manish Malhotra chose grand outfits to create Zaara’s look. Even though Zaara’s initial wedding gown was the traditional red, the stunningly embroidered purple and white ghagra set along with the matching maang tikka, necklace, nose ring and purple bangles from the legendary Veer-Zaara wedding, had everyone picking unique colours for their wedding day, after watching this film.
The outfits worn by Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in the film “Jodha Akbar” are extraordinary and iconic. The outfit inspired dozens of new brides and is still continuing to do so. Her lehengas were regal with ornate jewellery laden with traditional Kundan, rubies and pearls, which became a requisite for many brides. Her outfits in the film inspired the millennial bride’s obsession with bridal chokers.
2010 – Present
Nargis Fakhri’s gorgeous red lehenga with Kundan jewellery in the film “Rockstar” which for the first time in Bollywood history showcased a Kashmiri Pundit’s wedding vestments. This memorable wedding outfit design by Aki Narula and Manish Malhotra from the Pandit Pheran, Dejhor (ear jewellery) to Taranga made their way into the hearts of many young brides.
Alia Bhatt in the movie “2 States” wore a classic Kanjeevaram saree in red and gold, pink, cobalt blue and yellow sarees, reigniting the popularity of sarees once again.
The wedding outfit worn by Anushka Sharma in the film “Ae Dil Hai Mushkil” prompted a sharp gasp from the audience for her stunning Manish Malhotra’s nikah sharara and the humongous Kundan neckpiece and the iconic Passa.
The golden lehenga, worn by Deepika Padukone in the song “Deewani Mastani” from the film “Bajirao Mastani” has many iconic elements like a backless anarkalis-style top, a tiered skirt with brocade lining and palazzo trousers. The skirt is decorated with a gota patti border in the same colour as the full-sleeve top and has a sheer bottom embroidered with floral needlework and rhinestones.
Katrina Kaif in her movie “Baar Baar Dekho” wore a floral lehenga in the song “Nachde ne Sare” giving off a bohemian bride vibe. In a different movie, she wore another wedding outfit in the song “Kala Chasma” where she wore a traditional red wedding ensemble, accented by embellished borders and dreamy golden patterns paired with gold maang tikka, stunning earrings and conventional bridal choora.
The pink embellished lehenga with mesmerising floral embroidery and a multi-layered necklace worn by Kirti Sanon at her wedding early this year inspired a lot of 2024 brides. The young brides love her lehenga detailings like the intricate Rajasthani gota and the pastel look all over.
