Journey with Prabhudheva has been creatively exciting: Chhavi

Working with the director-actor, Chhavi says, “The journey has been quite beautiful. It has been creatively exciting as well as a challenge. It would be boring if there are no challenges. Before a movie or a show, I sit and discuss with him what the characterisation or the concept is. We design it accordingly and that way Prabhudheva is quite adaptable. He gives a go-ahead once he is convinced with what the costumes will be like.” PD’s looks in Bagheera teaser that has as many as 10 looks enthralled the audience. “Even in Gulebhagavali and Yung Mung Sung the research was quite deep because they were different from one another. For instance, in Yung Mung Sung my research was based on how martial artists from China in a particular period of time looked like. I designed RJ Balaji and Ashwin’s costumes as well because they need to be in sync with Prabhudheva’s costumes. Bagheera was a different journey altogether. The level of creation had to be amazing and nothing short of it. Each costume had to be different and had to compliment the look,” adds Chhavi.

The costumer says that she starts visualising the character’s body language and style as soon as she hears the script. “I start seeing a character from my perspective and give my feedback to the director to ensure that we are on the same page. That way I have been thankful that all the films I have designed costumes are brilliant so far,” she adds. Having designed costumes for ads and films, Chhavi says that each has its own advantages. “There is more creative freedom in films than ads in terms of screentime and the budget. For shows its completely different and we go with whatever the artiste would feel comfortable with,” she concludes.