It is imperative to get the world of the film or the universe of the director right,” says fashion designer Nachiket Barve, recipient of this year’s 68th National Film Award for his costumes in the period drama Tanhaji.
 
Calling the honour “surreal”, he says that while several factors play an important role in period films, restraint is the key to getting it right. “The film Gandhi [1982] won an Oscar for costume design,” he reminds us. “It largely showed people wearing khadi, but Bhanu Athaiya’s genius and restraint stood out for the jury.”  

For Tanhaji, Barve spent close to two years on research, visiting several museums such as the Kelkar Museum in Pune, Salar Jung Museum in Hyderabad and The Victoria and Albert Museum in London. “It was important to understand what would or wouldn’t be acceptable as authentic to that period, while ensuring it works for the cinematic view and aligns with the filmmaker’s vision.”