by helene.goedl -

IMPULSE #6 | Film: “Padmavaat” 

Recently, I watched the Indian movie „Padmavaat“. The film, which released in 2018 stirred up multiple controversies among some communities of the Indian public. Directed by acclaimed Indian director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, „Padmavaat“ is set in medieval Rajasthan. It revolves around the story of Queen Padmavati, who marries a noble king and lives a prosperous live. Soon, an ambitious Sultan hears of Padmavati’s beauty and forms an obsessive love for the Queen, sparking a plan to steal her away for himself.1 

Director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who is known for his elaborate period dramas, had faced multiple instances of backlash from the Rajput community since the production of the film started. The controversy hinged mostly on grievances about the portrayal of Rani Padmavati, which were seen as insulting and misrepresenting. Protests even turned violent, with protesters vandalising sets and even attacking the director himself. After a rescheduling, the movie was finally released on 25 January 2018. 

One of the details of the movie which spurred backlash was the performance and costuming featured in the song. “Ghoomar”. Diegetic songs and choreographed dance numbers are a prominent aspect of Indian films and are featured in a large majority of films of all genres. On Twitter, critics argued that the song misrepresented the Rajput queen Padmavati, leading to claims of disrespect. Protests erupted in November 2017, with some asserting that Rajput queens never danced publicly. Women from the Rajput community joined the protests, voicing concerns that the depiction of the queen in revealing attire was inappropriate. They stated that a Rajput queen would neither perform before an audience nor expose her midriff.

The controversy also drew the attention of the Central Board of Film Certification. On 30 December 2017, the board requested edits to scenes showing Padukone’s midriff to present a more modest portrayal of Queen Padmavati. Instead of reshooting, director Sanjay Leela Bhansali used computer-generated imagery to implement the changes. A revised version of „Ghoomar“ was released on 20 January 2018, featuring Padukone’s midriff digitally covered.2 

The achievement of this digital clothing insertion is quite remarkable, since the dance number features complicated movements that not only pose an immense challenge for rendering a realistic movement and lighting of the fabric but are further complicated by the tracking the body of the actress Deepika Padukone. The original shot was not captured with tracking in mind, which must have made it extremely challenging for the CGI artists. Unfortunately, I was not able to find details on the process of how the digital clothes where inserted. It would have been a fascinating case study.

Why is this Topic Relevant for my Thesis?

The insertion of digital clothing to meet standards of modesty in different film industries around the world is quite a common practice. A different and more recent example apart from “Padmavaat” is the 2023 Hollywood film “Oppenheimer”, in which a nude scene featuring actress Florence Pugh was altered for some distribution markets by inserting a digital black dress.3

This censorship through digital clothes is one application of “digital fashion” that presents a very concrete real world use case. The implications of using these digital clothing insertions are worth discussing as a separate topic. Several aspects can be discussed, such as the validity of these modesty standards in the first place (which of course is a much larger and much more intricate topic). Alterations that are performed to the original vision of the costume designer by inserting these digital garments for censorship reasons are also an interesting discussion to have. I have not been able to find sources discussing whether the digital clothing designs were discussed with the costume designers of the respective movies. But the issue of whether or not they align with the original vision of the costume designer is questionable to say the least.

Images

Screenshot from the original music video version of the song „Ghoomar“ before digital clothing insertion.
Screenshot from the song „Ghoomar“ after digital clothing insertion. A piece of embroidered cloth was inserted on the midriff.

1 “Padmaavat (2018).”

2 “Padmaavat Before and After: Look How They Secretly Covered up Deepika Padukone’s Midriff in Ghoomar.”

3 Rubin, “Florence Pugh’s Nude Scene in ‘Oppenheimer’ Covered Up by CGI Black Dress in India and Middle East.”

Sources

IMDb. “Padmaavat (2018)” January 25, 2018. Accessed January 5, 2025. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5935704/.

Hindustan Times. “Padmaavat Before and After: Look How They Secretly Covered up Deepika Padukone’s Midriff in Ghoomar,” January 20, 2018. https://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/ghoomar-before-and-after-look-how-they-secretly-covered-up-deepika-padukone-s-midriff-in-padmaavat-song/story-6wceiAO2DAu3u0GgmJhdAM.html.

Rubin, Rebecca. “Florence Pugh’s Nude Scene in ‘Oppenheimer’ Covered Up by CGI Black Dress in India and Middle East.” Variety, July 24, 2023. https://variety.com/2023/film/news/oppenheimer-florence-pugh-nudity-india-cgi-black-dress-1235678665/.

by leonie.dunke -

9 | Theatre in the digital time

Through an additional course in the first semester of my master’s program, I came across a fascinating podcast that delves into the production of historical costumes in theatre and the origin of the materials used.

Having primarily focused on digital support in stage design production in recent weeks, I now wish to shift the spotlight in this blog post to another area of theatre: costume design. In doing so, I aim to share the insights and information I gained through the mentioned podcast.

Introduction

Costumes are not mere garments; rather, they express stories, transform actors into unique roles, and are as essential to a theatre production as the stage design. They unveil the personalities of the characters and their development throughout the story. The creation of a costume involves careful steps, coordination, and the harmonious collaboration of numerous professionals. The following information poster provides fascinating insights into the process of costume design and focuses on the management and origin of the materials used.

Involved Individuals:
Costume Department: 120 People Production: Milliners, Cobblers, Tailoring Teaching Workshop Procurement Fabric Storage Costume Stock Costume Assistance Production Management Dressers

Costume Creation Process

Script Analysis:
The initiation of a new costume design begins with the selection of a play by the artistic director and the dramaturge. Subsequently, a director is chosen, who makes decisions between costume design and stage design. The directorial team, consisting of these three key players, then develops the concept for the play. At this point, the costume designer has the opportunity to develop costume designs in close or broad collaboration with the director.

Design and Development:
The starting point for the development of a costume idea is an in-depth analysis of the script. It is crucial that all characters are appropriately dressed, and initial ideas must be captured in costume sketches. The goal is to create a coherent costume dramaturgy that visually influences the production. After extensive studies of milieu and eras, the costume designer creates sketches, figurines, collects inspirational material, and creates mood boards. These serve later as visual aids for the director as well as the scenes and makeup artists. In joint discussions, artistic intentions are aligned, and potential costs are calculated. After this phase, the costume concept is reviewed and further developed.

In the development phase, there is room for interpretation as the costume designer explains the character and allows for various interpretations and designs. This profession requires a solid understanding of garment construction techniques. The costume designer must empathize with the costumes to understand how tailors developed historical costumes without concrete references. Alongside pattern making, detailed discussions follow, including the search and procurement of materials.

Production:
Although the costume designer does not sew, they take the necessary measurements of the actors and create patterns. In addition to artistic direction, other professionals such as costume supervisors, cutters, tailors, milliners, or armorers are involved in the creative process. The costume designer organizes the required costumes and accessories according to artistic specifications and within the budget allocated for costumes. They oversee the production as well as all fittings.

Staging:
During performances, dressers mainly take care of the artists, managing costume changes behind the scenes and making last-minute adjustments.

Storage:
After the production concludes, proper storage of all costumes in the stock is necessary to use them for other productions.

Where Does the Material Come From?

Garments possess a distinct characteristic and design language that has evolved significantly over time. In theater, these essential components must be reproduced according to each production’s requirements. The challenge lies in finding original fabrics and unique pieces that genuinely date back to the respective historical period.

Custom-Made Fabrics
Often, the fabric desired by the costume designer must be specially produced or purchased. Custom-made fabrics are labor-intensive and less sustainable.

Costume Stock (Fundus)
A solution to this problem is provided by material and costume storage. Already crafted costumes are stored here, allowing them to be reused in subsequent productions and potentially adjusted to fit the requirements of each new play.

Donations
Theaters also accept donations from individuals. Discarded but well-preserved garments from past decades are valued since they preserve both the fabric and the character of each individual piece.

Conclusion
For flexible collaboration and efficient production in a short period, early planning is of paramount importance. Smooth internal, cross-departmental communication is essential. Production and artistic teams require sufficient time to immerse themselves in the play and develop the concept with high quality. This becomes especially crucial when opting for Fundus costumes or producing custom-made items due to sustainability considerations.

Ressources