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Indian Express
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
5 Bollywood movies with the most-expensive costumes and jewellery
When we watch period dramas or fantasy epics, it's easy to get lost in the storytelling, the grandeur, and the emotional arcs. But what often escapes the spotlight, ironically, are the clothes. In Bollywood, costume designing is not just about fashion; it's about time-travel, culture preservation, and cinematic immersion. Some films have gone all-out, investing crores in their costume budget. Here are some of the most iconic — and most expensive — costumes in Bollywood history. The red bridal lehenga worn by Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in Jodhaa Akbar has now found a permanent place in global fashion history. Recently added to the Academy Museum's Colour in Motion exhibition, the lehenga is a celebration of India's textile heritage. As the museum noted, 'A lehenga fit for a queen, designed for the silver screen.' With an embroidered peacock crafted from jewels and traditional Mughal-era silhouettes, the design process took months of research. Costume designer Neeta Lulla collaborated closely with director Ashutosh Gowariker and cinematographers to pick fabrics that wouldn't glare under natural light. The result was a palette of carefully chosen colours for the Mughal and Kachhawa clans, stitched with brocade-like zari embroidery. The real showstopper? The jewellery — 300 kg worth, designed over 600 days by 200 artisans. Aishwarya's bridal set alone weighed 3.5 kg, and it's a feat she's said was one of the toughest aspects of the role, according to her then interview with The Hindu. In Devdas, every swirl of Madhuri Dixit's dupatta oozed opulence. Designers Neeta Lulla, Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla, and Reza Sharifi crafted costumes that weren't just beautiful, but historically resonant. Each of her looks reportedly cost more than ₹15 lakhs — a staggering number, but every rupee is evident in the embroidery, textiles, and silhouette precision. When Rimple Narula designed Deepika Padukone's costumes for Padmaavat, she went for authenticity — even if it meant a literal weight on the actress. Deepika's wedding lehenga weighed 30 kg and cost ₹20 lakhs, as per the designer's interview with ANI in 2017. It took the actor nearly three hours to get into the full look, every single day, with detailed embroidery including Mukke ka Kaam, Salma Sitara, and Gokru Dunka techniques. Bajirao Mastani is a visual ode to opulence, and Deepika Padukone's iconic pale gold outfit in the song Deewani Mastani was perhaps the most breath-taking. Designed by Anju Modi, the flowing ensemble may look like a lehenga but is actually cleverly structured pants beneath a flared silhouette. The gold-threaded embroidery, the mirror palace backdrop — everything worked to evoke Mughal-E-Azam-level grandeur. Reportedly, Deepika's wardrobe for the film cost about ₹50 lakhs in total. When Shah Rukh Khan stepped into his superhero avatar for he didn't just play the part — he wore ₹4.5 crore worth of it. 'It's a million dollar costume — that's four-and-a-half crore rupees per costume,' SRK told Hindustan Times back in 2010. 'And there's not just one costume, there are 20 such!' Crafted using advanced materials for stunts and VFX, the suit was a blend of tech and tailoring. It remains one of the most expensive costumes ever made in Indian cinema.
Scroll.in
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Scroll.in
NCERT textbook describes Mughal ‘brutalities', says no one should be blamed for past
The National Council of Educational Research and Training's new Class 8 social sciences textbook, which describes Mughal emperor Babur as a ' brutal and ruthless conqueror' and Aurangzeb as the having destroyed temples and gurdwaras, also points to 'many instances of religious intolerance' during the period, The Indian Express reported. The textbook, which has been introduced for the academic year 2025-'26, portrays Mughal rulers Babur, Akbar and Aurangzeb as 'intellectuals' who also ' plundered ' the Indian population, The Hindu reported. The NCERT is an educational body that advises the Union government on school syllabi. The chapter covering history from the 13th century to the 17th century spans the rise and fall of the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughals, the resistance to them, and the rise of the Sikh empire. It describes the Sultanate period as one marked by military campaigns in which towns were plundered and temples were attacked, and has references to the brutality of some of the rulers. A 'note on history's darker periods' before the history section of the textbook says that it is important to study the events dispassionately without blaming anyone living today for what happened during the Sultanate and Mughal period. 'Understanding the historical origin of cruel violence, abusive misrule or misplaced ambitions of power is the best way to heal the past and build a future where, hopefully, they will have no place,' The Indian Express quoted the note as saying. Babur, Akbar and Aurangzeb were not described in such detail in chapters about the Mughal period in the old NCERT textbook, according to reports. The chapter was part of the Class 7 history textbook at the time. The changes are part of a broader curriculum revamp under the 2020 National Education Policy and the National Curriculum Framework. In response to questions about the references to the attacks on temples and the brutality of some Mughal rulers, the NCERT said that the history section, 'while it does not sanitise history, is balanced and entirely evidence-based', The Indian Express reported. 'Besides, in addition to the 'Note on Some Darker Periods in History', a cautionary note has been inserted in one of the chapters to make it clear that no one should be held responsible today for events of the past,' it added. 'The emphasis is on an honest approach to history with a view to drawing from it important lessons for a better future.' Michel Danino, the head of NCERT's Curricular Area Group for Social Science, told The Hindu that the Mughal emperors cannot be understood 'unless you go into the complexities of their personalities'. 'Akbar himself admits he was brutal in his younger days,' Danino was quoted as saying. 'We are not demonising Akbar or Aurangzeb, but we have to show these rulers had their limitations and committed cruel deeds.'
The Hindu
14 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Not demonising Mughal rulers in textbooks: NCERT social science panel head
The history section of the newly introduced Class 8 social science textbook by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) for students in the current 2025-26 academic year portrays Mughal rulers, especially Babur, Akbar, and Aurangzeb, as 'intellectuals' who also 'plundered' the Indian population. The second chapter of the textbook, titled 'Reshaping India's Political Map in Theme B - Tapestry of the Past' includes references from the Baburnama, Babur's autobiography, and describes him as cultured, intellectually curious, and having a keen appreciation of architecture, poetry, flora, and fauna. The textbook also goes on to say that Babur was a ruthless conqueror, slaughtering populations, enslaving women and children, and taking pride in erecting 'towers of skulls' in plundered cities. Akbar's reign is described as a blend of 'brutality and tolerance', and that during the seizure of the Chittor fort, Akbar, then 25 years old, ordered the massacre of 30,000 civilians, and the enslavement of women and children, the new textbook states. Akbar's message is also quote in the textbook: 'We have succeeded in occupying a number of forts and towns belonging to infidels and have established Islam there. With the help of our bloodthirsty sword, we have erased signs of infidelity from their minds and have destroyed temples in those places and also all over Hindustan.' The textbook says Akbar leaned towards peace in the later years of his reign. The new textbook also states that Aurangzeb issued farmans or edicts to demolish schools and temples. 'Temples at Banaras, Mathura, Somnath among many others were destroyed, as well as Jain temples and Sikh gurdwaras,' the new textbook says. It also speaks of the persecution of Sufis and Zoroastrians at the hands of the Mughals. Babur, Akbar, and Aurangzeb have not been described in such detail in the older NCERT textbook's chapter on the Mughals, which appeared in the Class 7 History book ('Our Pasts II'). 'Indian history cannot be cannot sanitised and presented as a smooth, happy development throughout. There were bright periods but also dark periods where people suffered, so we have given note on the darker chapters of history, and also given a disclaimer that no one today should be regarded as responsible for whatever happened in the past,' Michel Danino, Head, NCERT's Curricular Area Group for Social Science, told The Hindu. 'You cannot understand them (the Mughal emperors) unless you go into the complexities of their personalities. Akbar himself admits he was brutal in his younger days. We are not demonising Akbar or Aurangzeb, but we have to show these rulers had their limitations and committed cruel deeds,' Mr. Danino said. Because Part One of the earlier released new Class 7 Social Science textbook in April culminated in the pre-Delhi Sultanate era of the 6th century, there was an element of uncertainty on how the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal era would find their place in the newly revamped textbooks. While earlier a Class 7 student would have learnt about the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal history, these sections have now been shifted to the first part of the newly released Class 8 textbooks, available in bookstores mid-July onward. The first part of the new Class 8 Social Science textbook, which has combined History, Geography, Civics, and Economics into one title, Exploring Society: India and Beyond, will serve as a resource for the first six months of the academic year for Class 8, NCERT officials clarified. 'Part Two textbooks for both Classes 7 and 8 for Social Science will be released in October later this year. Part Two textbooks are currently under development,' officials said. The new Class 8 textbook also has a section on heroic resistance to the Mughals, including on the Jat peasants who managed to kill a Mughal officer; the Bhil, Gond, Santhal and Koch tribal communities, who fought to protect their territories; and Rani Durgavati of one of the Gond kingdoms, who fought against Akbar's army. Sections have also been added on the escape of Mewar's ruler Maharana Pratap, and the resistance of the Ahoms to Aurangzeb's army in northeastern India.
The Hindu
18 hours ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Tenders invited for 16.7 km Twin Tunnel Project linking Hebbal and Silk Board
Amid mounting criticism, B-SMILE, a special purpose vehicle, has floated global tenders for the proposed Twin Tunnel Road between Esteem Mall Junction in north Bengaluru's Hebbal and Silk Board Junction in the southern part of the city. The project will be executed in two segments. According to the tender notice, issued by the Superintending Engineer of B-SMILE, the construction period has been set at 50 months, equivalent to four years and two months. If completed on schedule, Bengaluru residents can expect access to the tunnel road by the end of 2029. Despite opposition from sections of citizens and the Opposition party, the stated aim of the tunnel project is to reduce congestion and address connectivity woes. BOOT model The project will be carried out under the Build, Own, Operate, and Transfer (BOOT) model, with a total concession period of 34 years. This includes the 50-month construction period, during which the contracted companies will develop the infrastructure and subsequently operate and maintain it. The first package will cover 8.748 km between Esteem Mall Junction and Seshadri Road, Race Course Junction. The second package will cover 8.748 km from Seshadri Road to Silk Board junction. Each stretch will include two separate tunnels, each with three lanes, featuring entry and exit points along the route. As previously reported by The Hindu, at least eight Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) will be deployed for the construction. The estimated cost for Package 1 is ₹8,770 crore, requiring a financial guarantee of ₹43.85 crore from the selected contractor. Package 2 is estimated at ₹8,928 crore, with a required financial guarantee of ₹44.64 crore. The tender document specifies that only contractors registered with the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) or equivalent registrations with agencies such as the Central Public Works Department (CPWD), Karnataka Public Works Department (KPWD), Railways, Military Engineering Services (MES), National Highway Authority, or other state government bodies are eligible to apply. The technical bids for the project are scheduled to open on September 3.
The Hindu
18 hours ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
Ada Hegerberg Interview: It's a big privilege to be a spokesperson for your sport
Interviews can be tricky, especially when connecting across time zones with a superstar in the middle of a hectic European campaign. A lot of things need to align — the timing of the call, the mood in the camp, the right set of questions framed in the most enticing ways and plenty more — to coax an athlete to give up their understandably cautious persona. But Ada Hegerberg is no ordinary star. As she sat down for a conversation with The Hindu, she broke the ice in the most unexpected of ways. 'Sorry about the game. It was a tough loss, it went so close. I don't always watch cricket, but this one was [being shown] all over [here] and it was such a good game!' she quipped. ALSO READ | Brazil launch Women's Copa America title defence with 2-0 win over Venezuela The game? India's painful defeat to England in the third Test at Lord's. The Norwegian captain, the first female Ballon d'Or winner and a trailblazer on and off the pitch, knows a thing or two about heartbreak and victories that draw everything out of you. Ada Hegerberg has won six French league titles, five French Cups and five Champions League titles. She was also the first recipient of the Ballon d'Or Feminin in 2018 She is the all-time leading UWCL scorer with 66 goals for Lyon and also holds the record for most goals in a single UWCL campaign (15 in 2017-18) The 30-year-old, who has scored 50 goals in 93 appearances for Norway, is hoping to lead her country to the semifinals of the Women's Euros for the first time since 2009 Coming good on hope Norway is currently competing in the Women's European Championship in Switzerland, where it has progressed to the quarterfinals, just like many pundits foresaw. The weight of expectations, however, has not been easy to bear. 'We've always been trying to lower the expectations a bit sometimes because I feel like the expectations for the team are almost sky high. It's been a lot of stress, there's a lot of pressure to win those games,' she pointed out. Despite that, Norway ended with a flawless group stage record, something that Hegerberg was keen to highlight. 'No game is easy, trust me. We have to fight for every scrap. We're a small country, like 5.5 million [in population]. We're not supposed to be in the quarterfinals, if you know what I mean. But we still are and I think it shows character; we turned difficult situations into positive results. Nine out of nine points is not too bad,' she said. With wins against Switzerland and Finland, Norway became the first country to make it to the last eight. This prompted coach Gemma Grainger to make as many as six changes in the final group stage game against the already eliminated Iceland. Despite earning the right to experiment and perhaps not succeed, Norway fought valiantly to come through with a 4-3 win, thanks to braces from Signe Gaupset and Frida Maanum, the former even assisting both of the latter's goals. ALSO READ | Cristiano Ronaldo prioritising a record 6th World Cup over the Club World Cup While the result did not matter in the grand scheme of things, Hegerberg stressed why it was an important game for her squad. 'We were in a position where we could relax, put our shoulders down and have some fun. We have got players who stepped up for the first time on the European scene, scoring their first goals. It was only a positive going into that game [against Iceland] and it's always a plus when we managed to win them as well. It was very important for the team morale.' Staying focused Next up in Norway's path is a strong Italian side that is gunning for a spot in the semifinals for the first time since 1997. They incidentally met twice in last year's European Qualifiers, with both games ending in a draw. While the Grasshoppers have a strong record against Le Azzurre in the recent past, Hegerberg is paying no heed to numbers heading into this contest. 'Tournaments tend to play their own lives. You can have all the resources you want outside the tournaments. But tournament football is tough. And Italy is a good team, one we have a lot of respect for. They have experienced players and they have a good, stable team with good results lately as well. We respect them, but we also know that we're in a good position to do well and we have to give it all.' 'We are very relaxed, but at the same time, we feel like we have that little step left in us to have a good game against Italy because we also want to go to the semifinals.' Such has been Hegerberg and Norway's focus on the task at hand that she seemingly lost track of every other thing, including important personal events and milestones. 'You're going to laugh at this, but you're stuck in a bubble when you are here in a tournament. Here's a funny story. I spoke with my husband twice on his birthday without wishing him. That says a lot about the focus we have when we are down here. 'So I called him back for a third time on his birthday and said, 'Jesus Christ, forgive me! I'm so sorry.' So, I didn't win the Wife of the Year [award] with that one, I am not going to lie. He is the best. He, obviously, just laughed. I was not happy with myself at all.' Amidst all the hustle and bustle, the Molde native recently celebrated her 30th birthday, which allowed her and her teammates to let their hair down and turn their focus away from football, however briefly. 'It was a good day. My husband called me in the morning to wish me a happy birthday. So at least he remembered my birthday! The girls gave me a great day, we won our third game in the group stage that day, I got cake, I got some proper champagne to celebrate when we came back to the hotel. It was absolutely brilliant.' ALSO READ | Long camps, young blood, and tactical clarity: How India's women qualified for AFC Asian Cup 2026 Call for action Major tournaments in the women's game – be it the Euro or the World Cup – throws the spotlight on the vertical's infamous 'ACL club.' This is a growing pool of footballers who lose months of playing time to serious Anterior Cruciate Ligament tears. Hegerberg is one of the most high-profile members in that pool, having spent more than 20 months on the sidelines due to an ACL rupture in January 2020 and a stress fracture in her left tibia in September that year. Five years on, she is quick to acknowledge the privileged position she was in during her rehabilitation. 'I had to dig deep in order to get help. But I was also lucky because I've had the resources around me to find that help, not every player is.' Women's football has been playing catch-up to its male counterpart in almost all spheres, including injuries, sports science and recovery. Hegerberg believes that getting to the bottom of those key issues is well past due. 'I think there are still a lot of codes to crack when it comes to a woman's body (in this sport). I ask myself these questions often: Do women players get access to the competence they deserve? Is there actually research that is put in motion? Is the sport professional enough to take good care of the player's recovery? Because the amounts are going up for the players, let's be honest. There are more games, more pressure and more interest in the sport, which increases the pressure on the players. 'That's a topic that needs to be talked about more often. It needs to be studied because you can manage to avoid those big injuries for all those players. The truth is that every big player is going through a period of injury like that. It's just a question of when. That said, could you avoid it? Could you shorten down that injury period? I think that can benefit the sport in a very big manner and it would only help the next generation to perform on an even higher level than we are at the moment.' ALSO READ | Chelsea's Cole Palmer surprised to share Club World Cup podium spotlight with U.S. President Donald Trump Advocacy in her blood In club football, Hegerberg's success with OL Lyonnes is legendary. The honours roll includes multiple titles: from the French league and Coupe de France to the UEFA Women's Champions League. For all her brilliance on the field, she is just as (if not more) unapologetic about using her platform off it. Case in point: when she protested against gender inequality at the Norwegian Football Federation and quit the national team in the summer of 2017. 'I always salute players speaking up on behalf of their sports because it takes a toll on you. It's a hard position to be in. It's a very big privilege to be able to be a spokesperson for your sport,' she said. The business of football, or any sport for that matter, is the rabid pursuit of numbers. For Hegerberg, it has also been a pursuit of memories and, in the process, building an almost unmatched legacy. She inspires visions and delusions. She pushes you to dream, and dream big. She performs, not just for glory but also to make life better for the generations to come. 'We always have to stay on our toes and be sure that the sport is moving in the right direction. That's why you need players to perform, so that we have a voice. If you don't perform, we won't have that voice to make an impact. We need help. It's not always on the players to speak up. Federations, UEFA, FIFA, clubs, everyone has a responsibility in terms of taking the sport in the right direction. We have to fight for it. The battle of developing the sport and getting the best rights for women is always going to be rolling.' Sport rarely makes sense. Hegerberg? She's loud and clear. Always has been and always will be. The interview was facilitated by Fancode
