A project like ‘Baahubali’ creates unique challenges for
various production departments, because many things
have to be built from scratch and a lot of innovation is
required. One particular department that can make or
break a film like this is the ‘Costumes and Styling’
department. For ‘Baahubali’, this daunting task is being
handled very effectively by two talented ladies – Mrs.
Rama Rajamouli and Ms. Prashanthi.
Both of them have been working together for over a year
to design costumes for more than a thousand artistes.
Interestingly, they happen to share their birthdays as
well – July 15th. We at Release Day spoke to both the
stylists of ‘Baahubali’ and came away impressed after
learning about the scale of the project and the scope of
their work. This is a transcript of our conversation.
RD: Rama garu, how did you end up as a designer and
stylist? Was it a long-standing dream?
Rama Rajamouli : You can say I was forced into it
(Laughs). I was never a career oriented girl and I did not
want to work. It just happened by accident. Rajamouli is
one person who knows instantly if there is something
wrong with a costume, but he cannot identify the exact
issue. While I was on set in Simhadri, I gave him a few
suggestions when he wasn’t happy with some costumes
and he liked my ideas. From Sye, he wanted me to be
there officially.
RD: You don’t normally work with other directors. Is it a
conscious decision to work with Mr. Rajamouli only?
Rama Rajamouli : Yes, it is.
RD : How about you Ms. Prashanti. How did you end up
as a stylist?
Prashanti - About 4 or 5 years ago, I had a lot of idle
time on my hands. Nothing was occupying my time and
energy and I wanted to do something . At that time,
Krish and Prasad Devineni were planning to start
‘Vedam’. They asked me to consider styling, since I was
good with styles and fabrics. I pounced at the
opportunity and that is how I ended up in this
profession.
RD : You seem to be a very selective person too, when it
comes to work..
Prashanthi : I have worked as a designer for ‘Golconda
High School’ after ‘Vedam’. But yes, I am quite selective
about my projects. I accept work only if I have a
personal rapport with someone who is a part of the film
or if the script is so fantastic that I can’t say no.
RD : Rajamouli usually works with Mrs. Rama only. So
how did you end up in the team?
Prashanthi: Rama is a good friend of mine. So I casually
asked her if she needed any help with ‘Baahubali’, since
it was a very big project. She wanted me to be a part of
the film and I was very excited (Smiles).
RD : Rama garu, you are working with a co-designer for
the first time. Any creative differences?
Rama Rajamouli : Not really. We do work well as a team
and we consult each other before finalising things.
RD : How about you Ms. Prashanthi? Rama garu is
working for the first time with a co-designer. Any
creative differences?
Prashanthi : I started this project with the intention of
learning. Rama garu is like a cushion for me. She is way
more experienced and I talk to her and discuss
everything with her. So It works out well. Lot of our
tastes are alike and our thought process is on the same
wavelength.
RD : What is a typical day like, on the sets of Baahubali?
Rama Rajamouli : A typical day for us starts at 5:15 am.
We need to get a lot of extras and supporting artistes
ready for the shoot. There were days when we had to
get 800 – 900 people dressed for the shoot. Each
character has his/her own accessories and everything
needs to be perfect. We go on to the set and check out
if everything is looking ok on the monitor. Once shooting
starts, we designers take a small break. We spend the
rest of the day planning for the next day’s shoot. In
outdoor schedules, shoot ends at around 6pm usually.
After the day’s shoot, all the technicians have a meet to
review the day’s work and plan for the following day.
RD : Designing costumes for a period film is a challenge.
What were your reference points? Any inspirations?
Rama Rajamouli : We did a lot of homework and
research. I did not want anything radically new. I just
wanted the costumes and the styles to sync with the
story and our traditions. The colours and textures we
used are new. But we have stuck to traditional styles. I
have said this before and I will say it again. My
inspiration is Amar Chitra Katha.
RD : How about you Ms. Prashanthi?
Prashanthi : None of our reference points are from
movies as such. The only references I took were from
Raja Ravi Varma’s paintings and probably Amar Chitra
Katha. We looked at a lot of books from different
cultures. My favourite character in this film is that of
Devasena (Anushka). I really enjoyed dressing her up.
The most challenging costume that I have designed is
perhaps that of Tamanna’s. We have tried out something
very new and adventurous.
RD : Does Sabu Cyril have a say in the choice of colours
and textures? As a production designer, does he
override some of your decisions?
Rama Rajamouli : Sabu Cyril is a very senior and talented
technician and he obviously does give inputs. If he
thinks the costumes are out of sync with the set design
and colours, he tells us. But he is not very insistent
when it comes to costumes. I know Rajamouli’s tastes
and preferences, so I understand what the director wants
and likes.
RD : What factors influence the design of costumes for a
film like Baahubali?
Prashanthi : Costumes and overall styling should blend
in with the rest of the film. It should make actors feel
comfortable. That is what we are trying to do here. The
personality of the character and the scene are the major
factors that influence our decisions.
RD : Do you buy accessories and jewellery off the
shelves or did you design it from scratch?
Rama Rajamouli : For the lead actors, we got the
jewellery made from scratch. But for Ramya Krishna, we
used some readily available antique jewellery designs.
Prashanthi : We created Devasena’s (Anushka) jewellery
from scratch. We used only pure gold, without stones
etc. We wanted the jewellery to look delicate, yet strong.
We even created a new fabric, which was woven
according to our specifications.
RD : Baahubali is a very long and challenging project.
How do you manage your roles as a designer, mother
and wife?
Rama Rajamouli : The only difficulty is staying away
from my daughter for extended periods of time. She
stays with my mom, so I don’t have to worry about her
well being. But I have never stayed away from my
daughter till now. Apart from that, I don’t have too much
difficulty with my other roles (Smiles).
RD : How about you Ms. Prashanthi?
Prashanti : It is quite a challenge as I leave for work
before my daughter wakes up and by the time I go home
after the shoot, she is almost ready to sleep. So I do
miss her. But I bring her with me to the sets whenever
she has holidays so that we can catch up.
RD : Last, but not the least, Happy Birthday to you two
Rama and Pashanthi : Thank You (Smile)
We ended our conversation on that note, as both the
stylists had to take care of business on the bustling set
of ‘Baahubali’. We hope you enjoyed reading our
conversation with Mrs. Rama Rajamouli and Ms.
Prashanthi.
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