The Influence Of Bollywood On Ethnic Fashion Trends

B-town has been a trendsetter both in entertainment as well as global fashion. Here is how it has influenced and reshaped ethnic fashion trends.

Bollywood Ethnic Fashion Trends

1. Revamping the Saree: Bollywood films have always worked with saree in different avatars: Sridevi’s chiffon sarees in Mr. India to Deepika Padukone’s sheer dazzling drapes in Chennai Express. The on-screen look inspires an everyday style, encouraging women to try out new fabrics, styles of draping and blouse designs. (Image source: IMDb)

2. Anarkali and Medieval Influence: Movies like Mughal-E-Azam and Jodhaa Akbar played a significant role in reviving the charm of Anarkalis, a royal ethnic attire. Actresses like Madhubala and Aishwarya Rai popularised this style, and it remains a staple for the festive season and family parties. (Image source: IMDb)

3. The classic Lehenga Craze: The quintessential lehenga became a wedding staple thanks to films like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. On-screen Bollywood weddings introduced bright, rich lehengas that set bridal fashion trends for decades. (Image source: Pinterest/ umadmybad)

4. Fusion Fashion: Bollywood movies such as Cocktail and Kal Ho Na Ho introduced Indo-Western trends, such as wearing kurtis with jeans or crop tops with ethnic skirts. Young viewers enjoy casual wear that is both fashionable and comfortable. (Image source: IMDb)

5. Revival of Ethnic Wear in Men’s Segment: Actors like Shah Rukh Khan in Devdas, Amitabh Bachchan in Mohabbatein, Ajay Devgn in Tanhaji and Ranveer Singh in Ram Leela brought back the sophistication of sherwanis, bandgalas, and dhotis. Bollywood’s perspective on men in the use of ancient ethnicity robes has given the occasion for its resurgence in modern celebrations. (Image source: IMDb)

6. Iconic Dupattas: From Madhuri Dixit’s fragile dupattas in Hum Aapke Hain Koun! To Alia Bhatt’s embroidered stoles in Raazi, Bollywood displayed the dupatta as an ethereal ethnic accessory. It ignited a craze of adornments and styles of draping. (Image source: Pinterest/ PrincessDiaries)

7. Jewellery Trends: Movies like Padmaavat and Bajirao Mastani transformed ethnic jewellery. Heavy jhumkas, maang tikas, and polki necklaces turned out to be a necessity, popularizing bridal and festive collections across the nation. (Image source: IMDb)

8. Ethnic Fashion and Festivals: Bollywood movies’ representation of festivals has been a source of many trends for the common households of the country. Movies like Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (Diwali and Karva Chauth) or Bajirao Mastani (Ganesh Chaturthi), have popularized ethnic attire for specific celebrations, creating seasonal fashion cycles in India. (Image source: IMDb)

Inputs By: Shivani Gupta, founder of Vanika Fashions. (Image source: Canva)