Ananya Shanbhag, Suchitra Mattai, Adam J. Graves and Sajda Pathan pose on the red carpet during the Oscars arrivals at the 97th Academy Awards in Hollywood, Los Angeles
| Photo Credit: Reuters
As actor Ananya Shanbhag shone on the 97th Oscars red carpet in her ivory and gold corset and skirt ensemble, designer Poornima Indrajith couldn’t help but smile. “She was so excited, she felt the dress turned out better than she had imagined. She would call from the Oscars venue at 3am IST to share the attention the dress was drawing,” laughs Poornima.
Ananya, a 21-year-old performing arts student, from Mumbai, plays Palak in Anuja, which was one of the nominees for the best live action short film category at the Oscars.
“While designing, I wanted something that would resonate with what Ananya believed in. With Ananya being a trained Bharatanatyam dancer, I wanted the silhouette to reflect her love for dance,” says Poornima.
Ananya Shanbhag
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
When Ananya’s mother reached out to Poornima for the Oscar fit, she started brainstorming with Ananya over video calls: “I wanted to know what ideas Ananya had in order to be able to guide her accordingly.”
The ensemble that emerged after a lot of back and forth had a bit of everything — a sense of movement, her youthfulness and it was an ode to her Indian roots as well. Done in a hand-woven textile developed by Poornima for her label Pranaah, the hand-crafted garment was a love letter to Ananya’s art and persona. “I had been working on creating this fabric for my bridal line for over a year. While it is made of 100 per cent woven yarn, it has the sheen of satin and does not crumple easily,” says Poornima.
She stuck to a contemporary silhouette. “Pranaah as a brand has over the years built its own identity and while it is rooted in our Kerala handloom tradition, it is also very contemporary in treatment.” The corset therefore was adorned with intricate gold thread embroidery and the skirt had a train for that “special princessy” feel.
“Since Ananya was studying in Bengaluru, we had to take measurements over video calls. And it really felt like a leap of faith,” says Poornima. But when Ananya tried it out at the Pranaah store, it fit perfectly.
Ananya Shanbhag
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
The jewellery is an equally important part of the whole ensemble. Poornima collaborated with jewellery designer Kavya Potluri to create statement pieces inspired by Bharatanatyam’s heritage. Even finger and nail accessories added to the effect.
Poornima Indrajith with Ananya Shanbhag
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
Poornima is not new to designing red carpet looks. She designed Divya Prabha’s look for the 2024 Cannes Film Festival (All We Imagine as Light) and for the Locarno International Film Festival (for Ariyippu); Nimisha Sajayan at the Venice International Film Festival in 2019, Geethu Mohandas and Shanty Balachandran at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2019.
“As a designer, it is always a glorious moment for me to be able to showcase the Kerala handloom tradition on a global platform. It is also a moment to celebrate Kerala’s artisans, their craftsmanship, sustainability and our heritage,” says Poornima.
Published – March 10, 2025 03:28 pm IST
