STYLISH SYMPHONY IN SARIS

LEANING gently against the tanpura, her eyes closed, we see a series of photographs of a legend gracefully immersed in her melody.

- DIYA MARIA GEORGE

Zooming in, our eyes instantly shift to the jasmine flowers, carefully arranged on a tight bun, only to be pulled back into the photo by the glimmering nose pins. The pallu of the silk sari draped over her shoulders adds an air of devotion. Collaborating with costume stylist Anu Parthasarathy, actor Vidya Balan channels the spirit of Carnatic music doyen MS Subbulakshmi in a photo series.

Titled A Recreation of Iconic Styles, the project showcases four saris worn by the singer between the 1960s and 1980s, recreated by Anu, with guidance from the Bharat Ratna recipient’s granddaughter-in-law, Sikkil Mala Chandrashekhar. Vidya, deeply inspired by MS amma since childhood, expressed her admiration through a reel on Instagram: “Growing up, my mom would play Suprabhatam sung by her, first thing in the morning. My everyday life still begins with her voice. For me, MS Subbulakshmi is a spiritual experience. Therefore, this has been a labour of love, and I feel honoured to be able to pay tribute to her in this way.”

Reviving a style icon

The photographs were taken by Rohn Pingalay and were released on the 108th birth anniversary of MS Subbulakshmi on September 16, weaving her spiritual and artistic worlds together. The project, which has been seven years in the making, began with a casual conversation between Anu and Vidya during a Silk Expo event.

In the reel, Vidya further shares, “It was my ardent desire to play MS amma on screen, and when it didn’t happen, I was heartbroken...Anu ma’am got the saris woven, the nose pins made, and even sat with MS amma’s family to understand the exact way she draped her sari.”