15 'Karigars' Worked For 8 Months For 'Mahanati'

Designer Naveen Sangli of L Bajrang Pershad Jewellers says that he along with his team spent eight months to finalise the right jewellery pieces for "Mahanati", a biopic on legendary actress Savitri. Seventy jewellery were customized with 35 pieces recreated by 15 'karigars' to create the looks from 1950 to 1980.

"A team of five hand artisans was put to meticulous work to reinvent the classics. Jewellery in gold, kundan and diamonds were recreated in same old designs and finished with the antique look.

"About 15 'karigars' (weavers) worked on 35 pieces exclusively for eight months after almost six months of study and research and probing into the actress's life story," Sangli said in a statement.

The references for the jewellery were taken from Savitri's life story and her films including "Mayabazar", "Devadas", "Pelli Chesi Choodu" and "Missamma".

"The biggest challenge was to recreate chandmaama and suryudu, necklaces with rubies, vaddanams which were more than 60 years old," said the designer.

The forthcoming film's producer Priyanka Dutt of Swapna Cinema added: "About 70 pieces of antique jewellery were customized to meet the expectations of director Nag Ashwin's vision for Keerthy Suresh who plays the titular role of Savitri. These included necklaces, champaswaralu, earrings, jhumkas, bangles, watches, finger rings, paapidi billa and vaddanams."

Savitri's choice of jewels was always an extension of her personality, which is subtle yet beautifully chosen by her for every occasion.

"You wear it and it captivates you," Ashwin said about the jewels that Savitri loved, adding that it took many laborious days for the jewellery designer to delve into her past, talk to her family and know about her sensibilities for jewels before sitting down with craftsmen to make it.

"We used a lot of old methods like gold wire wrapping and dainty stone setting methods to get the closest vintage look possible. Matching a few pieces with the saris designed by designer Gaurang Shah was another major challenge.

"All her saris were such antique weaves and vintage dyes, that giving matching jewellery to these was quite a task," said Sangli.

The biopic is slated for worldwide release on May 9.