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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →These ten costumes, selected in Sujata Assomull’s 100 Iconic Bollywood Costumes, show how clothing can make a character legible, support a performance, and translate historical or regional references for the screen. They are a curated set of memorable looks—not a ranked or exhaustive list—and span films released from 1960 to 2015.
What makes these costumes worth looking at?
A screen costume is more than decoration. Its silhouette can establish a character, its construction can help an actor move, and its colour or textile can suggest a place or period. The ten examples below come from edited excerpts of Sujata Assomull’s book, illustrated by Aparna Ram and published by Roli Books. The accounts connect design decisions to performance and character, while also showing that costume credit and production work can be collaborative. Scroll’s feature is the source for this particular selection; its “iconic” framing is editorial, not a measurable ranking.
Ten memorable Bollywood costume stories
1. Madhubala as Anarkali in Mughal-e-Azam (1960)
For “Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya,” Anarkali wears a high-waisted kameez with a full skirt, a silhouette the feature associates with Kathak dance. Red and light blue, a Mughal-style cap, and jewellery complete the look. Scroll credits BN Trivedi as wardrobe in-charge and reports that the production sourced footwear from Agra, crowns from Kolhapur, and jewellery from Hyderabad; silk brocades were embroidered with real zari. The costume world also depended on specialist craftspeople: a separate account from the Museum of Design Excellence describes embroiderers, goldsmiths, jewellery designers, and shoemakers contributing to the film. Museum of Design Excellence.
2. Vyjayanthimala in Amrapali (1966)
The feature describes the film’s “Amrapali sari” as a dhoti drape paired with a bustier. Costume designer Bhanu Athaiya travelled to the Ajanta caves to study their frescoes. The remembered orange outfit is linked in the feature to a Buddhist-era dye made from parijat flowers and the colour of monks’ robes; that is the feature’s account of this costume, not a claim about all Buddhist-era dyeing.
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#1 Best Overall
3. Mumtaz in Brahmachari (1968)
In “Aaj Kal Tere Mere Pyaar Ke Charche,” Mumtaz dances in an orange sari designed by Bhanu Athaiya. Its pre-pleated construction and side zip were intended to make movement easier. Worn low, with a lehenga-like lower half, it created a distinctive silhouette without abandoning the sari as its visual starting point.
4. Zeenat Aman in Hare Rama Hare Krishna (1971)
The feature credits Zeenat Aman with styling her look for the role. In “Dum Maro Dum,” a pink kurti is paired with marigold garlands worn as jewellery, tinted glasses, hoop earrings, and a long red tika. Together, these elements became closely associated with the film’s Indian hippie aesthetic.
5. Dimple Kapadia in Bobby (1973)
The selected look is not the film’s red bikini but Bobby’s polka-dot blouse, tied above the waist, with a short black skirt buttoned down the front. The feature links the styling to the character and her first kiss with Raj. Its costume credits are shared: Rishi Kapoor for himself, alongside Stylo, Mani Rabadi, and Satyawan.
6. Smita Patil in Mirch Masala (1987)
Archana Shah drew on regional references for Smita Patil’s costumes, including mirror-worked, low-backed kapadus and tie-dye cotton odhinis in spice colours. According to the feature, Shah sourced many outfits and jewellery pieces in Kutch, then altered them for Patil. The result connects the character’s clothing to a specific textile tradition rather than treating regional detail as surface ornament.
Rank #3
7. Rekha in Khoon Bhari Maang (1988)
Big shoulders, lamé, turbans, oversized sunglasses, and strong makeup give Rekha’s wardrobe a distinctly heightened 1980s character. The feature points to Joan Collins’s Dynasty look and Grace Jones among its references. Designer Sandeep Khosla recalled that Rekha took an active role in choosing what she wore; the listed costume credits include several designers and makers.
8. Karisma Kapoor in Raja Hindustani (1996)
The film’s makeover gives Aarti Sehgal straight hair, subtle makeup, and more sophisticated clothing. Manish Malhotra recalled that director Dharmesh Darshan wanted Kapoor’s earlier image changed. Malhotra also told an anecdote about brown contact lenses, a behind-the-scenes detail rather than evidence that the styling became universal.
Rank #4
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- This is a replica of the pendant worn by Anne Boleyn
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9. Aishwarya Rai in Dhoom 2 (2006)
The turquoise swimsuit image is often remembered as a bikini, but the feature describes a cutout one-piece layered over a bikini top, worn with a short white skirt. Costume designer Anaita Shroff Adajania sourced the swimsuit in Rio de Janeiro. Highlighted hair, drop earrings, and a cuff completed the look.
10. Deepika Padukone as Mastani in Bajirao Mastani (2015)
For “Deewani Mastani,” Anju Modi designed a dhani-coloured kalidaar anarkali over a multi-panelled ghagra with ijhaars. She chose lighter, flowing material for graceful movement and practical use on set, with gota patti instead of heavier embellishment. The feature says her research uncovered a miniature portrait of Mastani wearing a Persian hat, which informed the look’s Persian-influenced jewellery. Maxima Basu designed costumes for the supporting cast.
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How historical research became screen costume in Bajirao Mastani
Modi described researching the period and travelling in Maharashtra to understand clothing and character. In interviews, she also discussed studying history, interiors, and museums, and connecting Maharashtrian culture to Bajirao’s dhotis and Kashibai’s navvaris. She said the costumes, colours, jewellery, and accessories tracked the three protagonists’ development. Her design problem was to evoke a period without making the clothes feel artificial: “I think the most challenging aspect of designing and styling the characters for a period movie is to ensure that the garments capture the essence, but at the same time do not go overboard to make it look costume-y and unnatural.” Vogue India, 31 July 2015. An interview with India Today offers further context on her approach.
Further reading
For more costume stories, see 100 Iconic Bollywood Costumes by Sujata Assomull, illustrated by Aparna Ram. The book explores the influence of film on fashion; the New Indian Express account provides publication context.
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