Raveena Tandon: You don’t have to spend crores to look mind-blowing

NEW DELHI, April 19 (Online): In an exclusive shoot with HT City Showstoppers, actor Raveena Tandon talks experimenting with fashion and her favourite onscreen looksWho can forget when actor Raveena Tandon redefined sexiness in the yellow saree she sported in Tip Tip Barsa Paani (Mohra, 1994)? Or the crop tops and baggy jeans that became her signature in the ’90s? A trendsetter in the truest sense, the actor has always taken risks with her fashion choices.

The actor dazzles in a strapless navy gown with sequined embellishments from Shantnu & Nikhil. She elevates the look with glossy lips and soft, smoky eyes for that extra oomph.
The actor dazzles in a strapless navy gown with sequined embellishments from Shantnu & Nikhil. She elevates the look with glossy lips and soft, smoky eyes for that extra oomph.

Ask whether she has ever felt the pressure to live up to her glamorous onscreen image or prove her versatility through her roles and she quips, “Honestly not. I still do my own thing. It’s just that I like to experiment with different things. For the song Dil Mein Hai Tu featuring Akshay (Kumar) and me in Daava (1997), I went shopping with the choreographer to the Goa flea market and picked up the accessories myself. We created looks for the both of us on the set with those things.”

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Are actors as willing to go the extra mile today? “A few adventurous stylists will be on board if you give them the idea. It also depends on what the actor wants. There is no need to spend crores to create mind-blowing looks,” insists Tandon.

The actor’s films, like her sartorial choices, have been as varied as they get. The 49-year-old has also had her share of critics. How did she keep them from affecting her choices back in the day? “Luckily, there was no fashion police as such in those days,” she says and adds, “We would walk out with a ponytail and track pants and not bother. Today, you have to be dressed to the nines. I see the pressure on the younger actors to do airport looks. As you grow older, you really don’t care. But it doesn’t mean you go out looking like a sloth!”

The Karmma Calling actor exudes royalty in an opulent Banarasi saree paired with a velvet blouse in maroon, featuring intricate gold threadwork from Vidhi Singhania
The Karmma Calling actor exudes royalty in an opulent Banarasi saree paired with a velvet blouse in maroon, featuring intricate gold threadwork from Vidhi Singhania

Tandon says she learnt this along the way. “I used to be experimental — that has not changed. But I have grown up enough to know what I should or should not be doing,” the actor shares, continuing, “It takes a couple of disasters when you are young to become more realistic about yourself,” she ends.

In a very busy phase of her career, Tandon is getting rave reviews for her latest OTT film Patna Shuklla, where she plays a lawyer. On the other hand, she wooed audiences when she played an ultra-glam ’90s heroine in the web series Karmma Calling, where her wardrobe choices were a hot topic of discussion.

Your favourite looks?
The looks I created for the song Sheher Ki Ladki (from 2019’s Khandani Shafakhana). Then there was a song called Dooba Dooba in a film called Vinashak (1998). I wore an all-metal outfit that Manish (Malhotra) made that me. I would get bruised because the metal scratched my skin while dancing. Saroj ji (Khan, choreographer) created a hectic dance number!

A ‘90s fashion trend which you wish would come back?
Rasha (daughter) and I were watching Mohra (1994) recently, and I realised that those crop tops, baggy and straight cut jeans are back. Rasha was like ‘Gosh, you wore things like these then!’ Those looks are very now. Except for the permed hair, it would be very fun.

Outfits you’re most comfortable in?
I love dressing up in traditional wear like sarees or ghagra cholis, or just churidar kurtas. I am most comfortable in those.