14 Most Expensive Costumes Worn By Bollywood Stars In Movies
Posted On: 11 Apr 2023 | Last Updated : 11 Apr 2023 | Views : 1.4k
Filmmaking is not an easy business, it's more than just having the right script, actors, actresses, director, music, etc., to make a film hit. The budget for each and every department has to be diligently planned and executed including costume designing to go with each and every character. Costumes were earlier always given a cold shoulder but come to think of it and the last two decades have seen some expensive Bollywood costumes donned by the lead pair that have played a significant role too. Costumes worn by lead actors or actresses contribute immensely to the theme of a film, especially if it’s a period one. At times costumes make or break a character’s appearance resulting in a blockbuster or disaster. Costumes nowadays don’t just demand a separate budget but a significant amount of research, time, design and money goes into finalizing it to achieve the ideal appearance or perfect look. We bring you 14 such outfits from popular movies that reportedly were the most expensive Bollywood costumes.
1. Amitabh Bachchan (Shahenshah - 1988)
To begin with, we go down memory lane and recall Amitabh Bachchan’s Shahenshah where he played a corrupt police inspector by day and a vigilante by night. In the film, he donned an outfit that consisted of black leather trousers and a black jacket along with a metal arm accessory that completed his look. The costume reportedly weighed approximately 14-18 kilos which cost the makers 15-20 lakhs, something unheard of during those days.
2. Sridevi (Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja - 1993)
Boney Kapoor’s Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja starring Anil Kapoor and Sridevi had one of Bollywood's most expensive costumes ever. Sridevi reportedly donned nearly 100 costumes in the film costing more than 10 lakhs each, including a mammoth Sphinx. Designed by Neeta Lulla, one of Sridevi’s costumes in the film had ostrich feathers and a whole lot of over-the-top outfits which were unthinkable in the 90s. Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja was one of the most expensive Hindi films ever made in India at an unbelievable cost of Rs. 7 crores. The film is counted among the biggest disasters of Bollywood.
3. Madhuri Dixit & Aishwarya Rai (Devdas - 2002)
Think of the most expensive costumes used in Bollywood movies and you have Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Devdas starring Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai, and Madhuri Dixit. Devdas is rated among one of Bollywood’s most expensive movies with Madhuri Dixit wearing outfits costing nearly Rs. 15 lakhs a piece while Aishwarya Rai's iconic sarees in the movie cost around Rs. 4 lakhs each. The exorbitant sets in the film itself cost the makers approximately Rs. 20 crores but cleverly the costumes worn by Madhuri Dixit in the film were later auctioned for Rs. 3 crores.
4. Aishwarya Rai & Hrithik Roshan (Jodhaa Akbar - 2008)
Ashutosh Gowariker’s period costume drama Jodhaa Akbar was made on an overall budget of Rs. 40 crores. The National Award-winning costume designer Neeta Lulla designed costumes not just for the lead pair of the film, but for the whole cast. Hrithik Roshan’s outfits from the film cost a whopping Rs. 12 lakhs each while Aishwarya’s elegant outfits cost around Rs. 2 lakhs each, excluding the price of the jewelry.
5. Kareena Kapoor (Kambakkht Ishq - 2009)
Sabbir Khan’s romantic comedy Kambakkht Ishq starring Akshay Kumar and Kareena Kapoor had the latter wearing some of the most itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny outfits that one would get to see in a Bollywood movie. It was believed that every single dress that Kareena Kapoor wore in the film cost its makers Rs. 8 lakhs and was specially ordered from Paris. The costumes were later gifted to the actress after the shoot was over.
6. Rajinikanth (Robot – 2010 / 2.0 - 2018)
Rajinikanth’s legendary sci-fi suits from Robot and 2.0 happens to be one of the most expensive costumes worn by Bollywood actors. The suit that he wore to suit Chitti’s character cost a massive Rs. 3 crores. A role and costume only Rajinikanth could carry off in his own unique style. The film as expected went on to become a money-spinner solely due to the craze of Rajini’s star power.
7. Vivek Oberoi (Prince - 2010)
This might come as a surprise to many but yes, the action thriller film Prince directed by Kookie Gulati was made on a budget of Rs. 35 crores, had Vivek Oberoi donning six leather suits in the movie and each of them cost about Rs. 30 lakhs. The film which actually had high production values received mixed reviews from acclaimed critics.
8. Salman Khan (Veer - 2010)
Anil Sharma’s period action drama starring Salman Khan, Zareen Khan, and Sohail Khan might have been panned by the audiences and critics but its locations, sets, and costumes were worth a mention. Salman Khan’s six costumes for Veer reportedly cost a massive Rs. 20 lakhs each!
9. Shah Rukh Khan (Ra.One - 2011)
One of the most expensive costumes worn by Bollywood stars is Shah Rukh Khan in the sci-fi thriller Ra.One. Believe it or not Shah Rukh Khan’s superhero robotic suit from the film cost nearly Rs. 4.5 crores. Reportedly there were nearly 20 different superhero costumes that were used in the film which summed up to a whopping Rs. 100 crores which were more than half of the budget of the film. The designers behind the robotic suit were Robert Lever, Manish Malhotra, Naresh Rohira, and Anaita Shroff.
10. Kangana Ranaut (Krrish 3 - 2013)
Kangana Ranaut also features in the list of most expensive costumes worn by Bollywood actresses. Rakesh Roshan’s Hrithik Roshan starrer Krrish 3 had Kangana Ranaut playing the character of Kaya whose custom-made bodysuits designed by Gavin Miguel cost a fortune to the producer. Reportedly every costume that the actress wore in the film cost Rs. 10 lakhs and she used 10 costumes of such kind budgeting Rs. 1 crore.
11. Sonakshi Sinha (Tevar - 2015)
The action thriller Tevar directed by Amit Sharma starring Arjun Kapoor and Sonakshi Sinha may have not been made on a gigantic budget but the song Radha Nachegi picturized on Sonakshi Sinha was shot exclusively around a budget of Rs. 2 crores while Rs. 75 lakhs were spent only on her costume. The song was choreographed by Remo D’Souza while the costume was designed by Subarna Rai Chaudhari.
12. Deepika Padukone (Bajirao Mastani - 2015)
Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s dream project Bajirao Mastani finally got released in 2015. The costume period drama based on the love saga was shot lavishing on massive sets like Aaina Mahal that had Deepika Padukone donning jewelry worth Rs. 45 lakhs while her costumes alone cost Rs. 50 lakhs. The costumes were designed by Anju Modi.
13. Akshay Kumar (Singh is Bliing - 2015)
Many might find this weird but Akshay Kumar’s single turban in Singh is Bliing cost Rs. 65 lakhs. Though the movie was made on a moderate budget the makers decided to make Akshay wear a pure gold turban in a song that suited him to perfection. The film was directed by Prabhu Deva and Amy Jackson played the female lead.
14. Deepika Padukone (Padmaavat - 2018)
Despite facing a lot of controversies Sanjay Leela Bhansali had the last laugh as his magnum opus Padmaavat turned out to be a huge hit with the audience. The film was a typical Bhansali film with lavish set designs, songs, costumes, and brilliant performances by Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh, and Shahid Kapoor. What audiences raved about were the costumes worn by Deepika and designed by Delhi-based designers Rimple and Harpreet Narula, which weighed approximately 30 kgs, and cost Rs. 20 lakhs. These costumes reportedly were worn by the actress for 100 days of the shoot.
