Having styled for a number of young (and critically acclaimed) films like like Rock On!!, Delhi Belly and Kai Po Che and having a won a National Award for costume design for The Dirty Picture, designer Niharika Bhasin Khan is now receiving praise for her work on the stars of The Lunchbox.
“After reading barely three pages of the script, I knew I wanted to be a part of The Lunchbox. It is the quickest decision I have made for any project till date,” says Niharika.
Having worked for the first time with this team, Niharika adds, “The process of working on films is exciting, as every director has his own vision. When you work with someone new, you have to get into the groove and yet experiment. Ritesh, as well as all the actors, were extremely co-operative. They were outstanding, and had no qualms with wearing whatever was suggested to them.”
“The styling of characters in The Lunchbox was kept very real and in sync with the plot,” says Niharika.
Nimrat Kaur’s character is seen wearing somber colors, except for the time when she dresses up for her husband. Irrfan Khan, who plays an aloof Christian widower residing in Bandra, leads a simple lifestyle and is seen in single-toned formals throughout the film. Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s character is dressed aptly as someone constantly vying for Irrfan’s attention in colours and checks, et al.
Says Niharika, “To design for such a film, you need an eye for detail and it is important to incorporate the minutest detail to represent the nuances of the role.”