From silk sarees to statement pantsuits: Why Alia Bhatt chose white for 'Gangubai' promotions

When we first heard that filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali had roped in Alia Bhatt for the role of Gangubai Kathiawadi, most of us were not familiar with who she was. And, those who had heard of her name did not know exactly what she was recognised for – her strong personality and political leadership in Bombay's infamous red-light district of Kamathipura. Many wondered whether Alia could do justice to such a woman, and while we still await the release of the magnum opus, the actor’s sartorial choices for the promotions of the film have been every bit worth waiting for! 

While she has donned several white outfits over the course of the past few weeks, you may ask ‘why white?’ But going by the film’s trailer and various snippets that are available on the internet, Alia is seen only wearing only white sarees with flowers in her hair, which reportedly reflects Gangubai’s love for the colour. From film promotions in India to the Berlin Film Festival, here’s a lowdown of some of Alia’s most stunning looks.

1.    Classic black and white 

Alia turned heads in a silk satin crepe saree and a matching blouse, designed by Kshitij Jalori. The blacktop featured white piping at its edges, while the pearl white sari was adorned with black borders. "Love thy saree," the 28-year-old actor captioned her post on Instagram. Alia completed her look with silver jhumkas, a sleek bun and minimal makeup. We love how she left her neck bare and let the saree do the talking. 

2.    Flaunting florals 

On another day of Gangubai promotions, Alia stepped out in a floral printed blouse and white sari featuring the same pattern on the borders. She styled it with white roses in her hair, an updo, minimal blush and a coral pout. Alia once again sported silver jhumkas. Soft shimmery pink eyeshadow and a hint of highlighter and bronzer added to the finishing touches.

3.    The western touch

For one of her looks at the Berlin film fest, Alia wore a sleek white jacket with wide lapels, folded up sleeves and cream-hued buttons. She coupled it with a pair of flared pleated pants in chiffon. The star opted for chandelier pearl earrings, minimal makeup and a messy hair bun. Alia went for coral peach eyeshadow on the lids, finished it with eyeliner and curled up lashes. We love the look! 

4.    Elegant in white

This one of Alia’s looks was the aptest for her role as Gangubai. She was clad in an off-white silk saree a matching sleeveless blouse. The actor added the right pop of colour to her look with a red rose in her hair. Minimal makeup, bindi on the forehead and a loud lip colour make her look picture perfect. Her classic traditional drape featured intricate thread embroidery work on the blouse and saree border.