Costuming the Goddesses

Varuvaaya was released (Ye Maaya Chesave in Telugu), the first thing that caught everyone’s attention apart from the story was Trisha’s (and Samantha’s) costumes. Moving completely from revealing and glitzy outfits, Trisha’s character Jessie was always dressed in a salwar-kameez or a simple cotton sari that showcased her in a dignified fashion. And the watching audience was inspired, setting off a trend that lasted months. “My assistants and I did thorough research on the dresses worn by young ladies working in software companies,” says director, Gautham Vasudev Menon. “We’d wait at bus-stops around Chennai, photographing or recording the outfits of young ladies who worked in such companies, and then observe their attire. A majority of them wore the salwar-kameez like the ones Trisha wears in the movie. Malayali Christians, in particular, wear the sari most of the time.”

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