It was a big challenge: Deepak Perwani on designing 300 outfits for Punjab Nahi Jaungi

The designer shares his experience of working with the Punjab Nahi Jaungi team and designing outfits for the cast

29 Aug, 2017

Deepak Perwani had his work cut out for him when he signed on to design 300 costumes for Punjab Nahi Jaungi.

Speaking to Images, Deepak explains why he took up the project and how 'incredible' his experience was working on the film.

"I don't think anybody in Pakistan has done a film with 300 outfits, where you're designing not just for the main stars and the wedding sequences but you're designing for everybody; from the main characters to the other characters, plus the songs," he said.

"For us it was an incredible experience because the expanse of this film was huge, in terms of the shooting in Bahawalpur, shooting in Karachi... and for the first time a film looks like a proper expensive film."

But this isn't the first on-screen project Deepak and his team have designed for. "We've done Raat Chali Hai Jhoom Ke, we've done Javed Sheikh's film Khulay Aasman Ke Neeche, we've done over 200 music videos. So when Humayun [Saeed] contacted us it was just a matter of synergy because we tend to do a lot of costume design anyway for school uniforms and hotel uniforms and other films and dramas."

And the duo was on the same page from the start. "We were just his natural choice and we understood exactly what he wanted," he added.

"Designing 300 outfits was a big challenge because I felt that that was something that the house of Deepak Perwani had never done before, and we love challenges, so when the project came to us, it would've been very easy for us to say that we will only do the main costumes but I wanted to see if we can design in such a versatile way where you have to identify each character and put that character in mind and then design - as opposed to designing a collection," Deepak explained.

Although he didn't have a role in the upcoming film, he says there is a scene in PNJ where he has been shot with some of the crew members.

"If there were a role or character in the movie they'd make me sit in a restaurant scene -- in fact they made us (lots of friends and producers and actors and directors) sit on a table and took a shot of us. I don't think PNJ is my film debut, and if I have to do a film I will do a proper one in which I'm at least acting."

Now that Punjab Nahi Jaungi is done, Deepak is gearing up to present his new bridal collection at Fashion Pakistan Week 2017 scheduled to take place on Sept 11-14.

Comments

waleed fakhar Aug 29, 2017 12:37pm

Highlighting Punjab is not suitable as Indians highlight Punjab as it is a small province where as Pakistani Punjab is already big and using 65 percent resources of Pakistan.

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waqar farooqui Aug 29, 2017 12:38pm

Indian style film.

amal Aug 29, 2017 09:45pm

I mean the outfits are look indian.... and so does the film aesthically, how the hell do you call this pakistani cinema?? no shame in the game!!

Sky Aug 30, 2017 11:17am

When will Pak make its first film which will be watched with interest in neighbouring countries like India, China?

MUHAMMAD Sep 01, 2017 08:34am

@waqar farooqui, can u please explain then what should be or is a 'Pakistani style' movie. @amal: Pakistan and India have cultural similarities and we cant ignore that. There will be an element of similarity in the movies of the two. Plus movies need to be a bit glamorous. U cant expect the female characters to wear a plain lawn ka suit throughout the film. Yes one can say that Mehwish Hayat's dresses in many occasion look too western (havn't watched the movie yet so cant comment whether that was necessary or not). I feel pakistnai movies interms of dresses have become more pakistanized in past few year compared to movies of 50-70s where heroine use to wear only sarees (which majority of women here don't do esp post Bangladesh's separation). @Sky: that depends upon the neighbors, the movies are good but its up to u to watch it or not, most of them are available on you tube. I recommend u watch Actor in law , Jawani phir nahin aani, Moor, Waar, Maalik, etc.