Padmavati, soon to be released magnum opus by none other than Sanjay Leela Bhansali has been creating buzz since its announcement. On the day when the first look of Deepika Padukone who plays the title role of Padmavati was released, the internet went into a tizzy. The viewers were completely mesmerized with Deepika’s imperial look (and of course, how can I forget that unibrow look).

Sanjay Leela Bhanasali is known to pull a massive coup with each of his works. And this time, too, with Padmavati, the maverick director has left no stone unturned in terms of larger-than-life sets, clothes and jewellery. Each of his film has been a painting in motion and the trailer of this movie, too, is an absolute testimony to his fetish for details. In any period movie, apart from the sets and clothes, jewellery too play an important role and Padmavati has everything Rajasthani about it.

Since, I started working for a jewellery magazine, historic and antique jewellery has always caught my attention. So it’s no surprise that I am in total awe of Padmavati jewellery – be it delecate arsi finger rings, elaborate chokers or ornate haath-phools – I have not been able to take them off my thoughts. Tanishq, India’s most-loved jewellery brand synonymous with superior craftsmanship has created the magnanimous Padmavati Jewellery Collection. Through this collection, Tanishq aims to revive the dying art forms and to bring back the beauty of heritage and Rajasthani jewellery.

It’s no mean task to replicate jewellery of a particular historic period. But looking at the creations, it’s evident that Tanishq has done a lot of research and hard work before giving shape to Bhansali’s vision. One of the most stimulating projects for Tanishq, 200 karigars worked day and night for 600 days to create some of the most iconic pieces that will be showcased in the movie.

Speaking about the collection, C. K. Venkataraman, CEO, Jewellery Division, Titan Company Limited, says, “In India, there is no category as special as jewellery. It is about auspiciousness, adornment, culture, tradition and history. So naturally, when this opportunity of collaborating with Padmavati came our way, we were all very excited to go back in history and recreate those beautiful techniques in a very relevant and modern form for the discerning Indian woman, whom Tanishq proudly represents. The Padmavati collection is a reflection of the works of art from the era when jewellery was all about exquisiteness, craft, detail and grandeur.”

The Padmavati Collection is a breathtaking assortment of handcrafted jewellery with a keen focus on intricate craftsmanship. The collection includes pieces such as naths, arsi finger rings, bangles, chokers, necklaces, mathapattis, haathphools, finger rings, borlas, memands, todas, ear cuffs and armlets of the kind worn by the characters in the movie. Tanishq recreated Bhansali’s vision of the era when Rani Padmavati’s tales of strong character and exceptional beauty echoed across the land of Rajasthan. With extensive research on the jewellery of that era, the focus was to recreate exquisite pieces that would perfectly define each character according to their personality. Each piece of jewellery worn in the movie plays a significant role in some of the most crucial scenes. Apart from Deepika, significant pieces of jewellery have been created for Shahid Kapoor (Raja Rawal Ratan Singh) and Ranveer Singh (Alluddin Khilji), etc.

The design team at Tanishq used gold, pearls, opals, topaz, emeralds and kundan jewellery, to bring alive the beauty of Rajasthani jewellery. After the first look was revealed, I couldn’t take my eyes off the broad golden bangles and the borla (maang tika). The chatai enameled maangtikas encrusted with intricate motifs are splendid. Gold and kundan bangles are a reminder of the art which began in Rajasthan and Gujarat and flourished in the courts of Mughal emperors.

In the trailer, Deepika is wearing a majestic necklace which is adorned with exquisite handmade miniature paintings of Rani Padmavati along with very fine partash detailing and pearl and emerald hangings. While in newly released song Ghoomar, she is wearing a bold enameled choker crafted in gold and studded in uncut diamonds. The choker is in sync with her royal allure. The center hanging element is in the shape of a lotus bloom and is an ode to the beauty of Rani Padmavati. Talking about the jewellery, Queeta Rawat, Design Manager, North at Tanishq says, “A lot of research went into creating this collection. We went to Rajasthan to explore and understand the kind of designs that were prevalent at the time. The jewellery for the different scenes in the film has been designed to suit the characters and the emotions that the scene involved. With 200 karigars working their way with 500 kg of gold to create 1500 regal pieces of jewellery, this has been one of the most challenging projects for us to work on. Each piece worn by the lead actors has been handcrafted painstakingly, while trying to stay true to the jewellery worn in that era.”

Almost all the scenes that I have seen so far in the movie trailer had Deepika wearing gorgeous naths (nose accessory). Nath has been an integral part of Rajasthani culture. Especially, one that caught my attention is the intricate detailing with the ornate fish and flower motifs coming together giving it a charming look.

Haathphools should also get a special mention here. They were one of the most important features of royal jewellery from Rajasthan. Deepika wears jadau, gold haathphools and she looks like a real queen of the bygone era.

All the creations of Tanishq for Padmavati are impeccable pieces of art and craftsmanship. The brand has recreated the Padmavati collection for the consumers, that is inspired by the pieces worn in the film. This collection has been available in stores since 23rd September and starts at Rs. 75,000.