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When white sings to orange

Onir's `Bas Ek Pal' uses colours to tell the script. Onir and designer Anita Dongre, who has styled the film, talk about the concept

HUES SUCCESS! Onir says the film establishes relationships through the exchange of colour

When Bollywood went Technicolor, some directors took it literally. Of late things are changing. Director Onir has just completed Bas Ek Pal, where each character has a colour code. Says he, "The idea that every person has a favourite and it describes his or her personality fascinated me. I spoke to designer Anita Dongre and we worked out the look." A film about urban relationships, Bas... will be premiered at the Osian's Asian Film Festival. Anita shares, "If red defines Sanjay Suri, burnt orange is the colour of Urmila Matondkar. White and turquoise represent Jimmy Shergill and Juhi Chawla respectively." Onir explains, "Sanjay is playing somebody who is passionate on the side of being loud, so red suits him while Urmila plays an architect who is flamboyant, aware of her good looks and loves to flaunt it. On the other hand Jimmy's character is quiet and calm. That's why his colour is white."

Colour code

Dongre adds, "It's not that the colour code reflects in the clothes every time. That way it would have become boring. It could be in the earring, in the shoes or a part of the set, like the vase." Onir says the colours also play a role in establishing relationships, like Urmila donning something white in the latter half and Jimmy sporting something in burnt orange.

As for audience understanding the subtleties, Onir avers, "Mine is a film for intelligent audience. I didn't want the colours to scream. If the audience takes note of what I have in mind, I would feel happy."Talking of the synergy Dongre, one of the designers who sells volumes and has earlier worked with Onir on his first film My Brother Nikhil says, "I come from a corporate background and can't really work at the last minute as film offers used to be. But Onir was different. He gave me a hardbound script. Plus we work on the same wavelength. He respects my understanding of fashion and I give value to his judgement on the appropriateness of the outfit according to the script. In the first half as there are more evening scenes, I have given Urmila evening dresses. In the second half, her architect side comes forth, so I designed jackets and trousers for her."

Dongre feels fashion designers have an edge over costume designers. "Since we work six months in advance for our collections, we have an understanding of what's going to be in vogue when the film would be released in theatres. "Now as the film is releasing in August, I have given the actors those kind of outfits which will be in fashion from August to December.

ANUJ KUMAR

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