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Kamal Haasan has a noteworthy approach towards fashion. The superstar has always been ahead of the curve. He is one of the few actors in the Indian film industry who has set a benchmark for the male fashion trends. Not just fans and well-wishers but one of our very own loved Bollywood celebrities, Salman Khan also looks up to Mr. Haasan for his style statements.
Undoubtedly, Kamal has set his own fashion statements through his films and public outings and the actor continues to do so with his ‘boss’ choices. As they say, ‘you are what you wear and your outfits are your social armor, likewise, Haasan’s outfits are a clear image of his regal and distinguished personality. But did you know the person behind making his fashion trends ? Meet Amritha Ram, the stylist who has been handling Kamal Haasan’s costumes for almost three years now. Not just Kamal Haasan but she also looks after styling celebs like Shruti Haasan, Dhanush, Dulquer Salmaan, Aishwarya Rajesh, Nithiya Menon, and a bunch of celebrities down south.
Ahead of Kamal Haasan’s 66th birthday, his stylist Amritha exclusively spoke to ETimes and shared anecdotes related to Kamal Haasan’s fashion sense and revealed how he is a fashionista right from the beginning of his career. “Working with Kamal Haasan, I would say is my best school of learning,” said Amrita who despite taking her fashion lessons from the very famous New York fashion school feels that Haasan is an institute in himself for fashion. Amritha started working with the Ulaganayagan as a stylist three years back during the promotions of ‘Vishwaroopam’. She is now styling him for the ongoing season of ‘Bigg Boss‘ and is also working on his looks for ‘Indian 2’. In a free-wheeling conversation, she shared about the actor’s fashion choices, how easy or difficult it is to be associated with him and work with someone who is so perfect with his art.
Impressed by Mr. Haasan’s style and vast knowledge about clothing, Amritha has started an Instagram page, where she talks about the looks from his films. She wants everybody to learn from Haasan’s fashion statements over the years. “He might have worked with several designers in the past but I know he is the base of all the outfits,” said Amritha, who is inspired by his styling.
Here are excerpts from the conversation.
What is Kamal Haasan’s style mantra?
Mr. Haasan’s style mantra just can’t be summed up like that in one word or a sentence. For him, I would say, change and experimenting are constant. He experiments so much with his style. He says change is the only thing that is constant. Also, he dabbles around and experiments a lot with things like fabrics, colors, etc. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn’t but that is a great thing to practice. Sir always wanted to experiment and go that extra mile to make sure that people see him and imbibe the style.
How different is Kamal Haasan’s on-screen and off-screen look?
He is always stylish. He doesn’t make an effort to look stylish. He is effortlessly stylish. That is how he is. One cannot catch him badly dressed. He properly immaculates for the places he visits like for example at home, he might be wearing a cool track and smart footwear that would go with it and for a political meeting, he has a different choice. I mean when he steps out, or when he comes on the sets, he is so impeccably dressed that people will ask for a picture and probably will say ‘sir, it looks like you can go straight on the floor and start the shoot’ without the costume which is designed. He is perfectly dressed all the time. So I would say not much difference on and off-screen. He carries it with him all the time.
In what clothes Mr. Haasan is most comfortable?
He wears only things in which he is comfortable. His pants, jackets, trousers, shirts, and everything is customised and styled with 50% of style and 50% of comfort. The attire outfit may look uber cool and stylish but if it is not comfortable, he will simply not wear it because comfort is very important. He always says that comfort brings out the confidence in him, so if he is not comfortable in the outfit, the confidence level will automatically go down.
Does Kamal Haasan take any inputs from Shruti and Akshara Haasan who are fashion icons?
I think you need to ask him this question. But yes, in general, a lot of suggestions come from his family because he gets the input and he tells me this is the feedback I got from my family that doesn’t mean his daughters. It can be siblings or anybody in that case. But nothing in particular from his daughters.
What are those five things you will always find in Kamal Haasan’s wardrobe
Firstly, one hundred percent very cool trousers, lovely pair of shoes, great shirts, great t-shirts and sportswear for his gym.
You have styled many other celebs as well, so what is that very special about being associated with Kamal Haasan and styling him. What is the difference?
He is the difference. Over the years, he has put so many style statements and there are so many statements which he has noticed but he has not brought them in movies. So we together bring them out. The scarfs, his hats, and also other accessories during every episode of ‘Bigg Boss’, when he removes the queue card from the pocket, he just suggested why not make an accessory do this. So you get to learn a lot while working with him Not just BB, but if you style him so other projects, he would come up with so many innovative things because all these things come only from his experience and vast knowledge and learnings he has done for himself to cloth him over the period of so many years. So this vast experience is something which I will not get from anybody which is so precious. Fortunately, I make maximum use of it, I literally grab it.
Source From : Times Of India
