Costumes play important role in establishing character

Multiple things play an important in bringing alive the authentic flavour and essence of a region in a show. Apart from the cast selection, dialect, dialogues, and location, costumes play an important role in establishing a character and creating a connection with the viewers. So is the case with &TV’s Aur Bhai Kya Chal Raha Hai? that brings everything-Lucknowni – its adab, andaaz, rehan-sehan and mizaaj through its fun and entertaining story plot. To bring alive the authentic flavour and essence, the team has undertaken extensive research. Special attention has been given to the detailing in costumes, highlighting the Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb of the Mishras and the Mirzas. Renu Pitva, costume designer, Aur Bhai Kya Chal Raha Hai? elaborates, “Since the show highlights the Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb, we tried to bring that essence out through costumes as well. Our idea was to create a look that is authentic and resonates with the audience. Hence, we researched many permutations and combinations to zero in the final look for the characters, syncing in with their on-screen personalities. For example, for the male leads, Ramesh Prasad Mishra (Ambrish Bobby) and Zafar Ali Mirza (Pawan Singh), we kept the look simple yet traditional with Kurta and Pathani, respectively. For Ramesh Prasad Mishra, we went for light coloured cotton kurtas with a Nehru vest. At the same time, for Zafar Ali Mirza, we chose Pathanis in darker hues with the chikankari work, keeping the look comfortable, traditional and authentic.”
 
Shanti Mishra (Farhana Fatema), a character that belongs to Lucknow’s Brahmin family, is draped in bright Chanderi and Banarasi sarees. Speaking further on her look, Farhana Fatema shares, “I portray the role of Shanti, an outspoken and strong personality. She mostly wears sarees, but the colours are bright with contrasting borders adding more vibrancy to her character. The material is a mix of raw silk, pure silk, silk cotton and chanderi cotton. The perfect mix of rich fabric and carefully chosen colour palette ensures that Shanti’s look remains relatable yet does justice to her character attributes. We have also tried to follow the women’s peculiar way of draping their sarees in Lucknow, with pallus over their heads. All this helped a lot in bringing Shanti Mishra’s character to life on screen and make it authentic and relevant.” On the other hand, the neighbouring Sakina Mirza (Akansha Sharma) wears many pastel-coloured traditional outfits. Akansha Sharma, who portrays the sweet-tongued Sakina Mirza, shares, “Our costumes have been handpicked from famous bazaars of Aminabad and Hazratganj to depict the typical Lucknowi andaaz. Lucknow is known for its traditional outfit Ghararas worn by Muslim women. Gharara is a pair of loose trousers with pleats, below the knee worn with a short or knee-length Kurta (shirt) and a Dupatta (veil) embroidered with Zari and Zardozi along with Gota, declarative on the knee area. This traditional attire made from over 24 metres of fabric silk, brocade and kamkhawbs. The look adds to Sakina’s sweet and soft-spoken persona and brings alive the rich essence of the ethnic culture and traditions.” 
 
Set against the backdrop of Lucknow &TV’s Aur Bhai Kya Chal Raha Hai gives a glimpse of situational comedy ensuing when two culturally opposite families are forced to share a roof, manoeuvre day-to-day concerns of small-town-living and highly competitive wives.