PAST MEETS FUTURE

Tanisha Bhattacharya talks to Eka Lakhani, the designer who is making waves for her work on Ponniyin Selvan:

- Eka Lakhani

One look at Eka Lakhani's career graph and you realise that she has been juggling with diverse genres. She's worked on films like Jug Jugg Jeeyo, which was a family drama; Shershaah, a biographical war film; and most recently, Ponniyin Selvan: / which is a Mani Ratnam period drama about the Chola empire, demanding opulence and attention to detail. Her work in Shershaah was applauseworthy and she also got a Filmfare nomination for Best Costume for it. She's collaborated with ace directors such as Mani Ratnam, Karan Johar, and Rajkumar Hirani. Hence she has an innate sense of visual storytelling that seamlessly blends with the perception of the director. It's these learnings that she cherishes the most. Excerpts from an indepth interview with the designer.

You've worked in Bollywood and the south film industries. In that sense, you're a versatile costume designer. How do you see yourself?

I've just been lucky enough to be at the right place at the right time. I was working in Raavan (2010) as an intern when Santosh Sivan sir and Mani Ratnam sir, noticed my work and gave me a break in Urumi (2011) and Kadal (2013), respectively. That's how I started working in the South. It was only when my South work was noticed that I got my first project in Bollywood. I'm a director's costume designer, if I feel that I can help enhance the director's vision, I take on a film. I think it's been a beautiful journey so far.

Was costume designing always the plan?