In 1951, MS Subbulakshmi made her approach to Nalli Silks with a blue thread in hand, hoping to have a sari manufactured from the identical color. The color of the sari then specifically woven for her, was so distinctive that it went on to be known as MS Blue. Until date, individuals stroll into silk sari shops, referring to MS Blue, looking for out the very same shade of inky, iridescent blue. 

In a tribute to the legendary Carnatic singer, whose voice, and sartorial sense has impressed generations since, actor Vidya Balan collaborated with Chennai-based costume designer Anu Parthasarthy, who has labored on a number of movies throughout languages, for a photographic tribute to mark MS Subbulakshmi’s 108th delivery anniversary.

“Rising up, my mother would play ‘Suprabhatam’ sung by her, very first thing within the morning. My on a regular basis nonetheless begins together with her voice. For me, MS Subbulakshmi is a religious expertise. Subsequently, this has been a labour of affection, and an honour to have the ability to pay tribute this manner,” Vidya says. 

Anu Parthasarathy with Vidya Balan
| Picture Credit score:
Particular Association

The thought for this undertaking, titled A Recreation of Iconic Types, started practically seven years in the past. “This got here from an informal dialog I had with Vidya, the place she was telling me how she would like to play the singer in a biopic, if the chance got here up. I used to be additionally eager on doing one thing out of the field, and saved coming again to this dialog we had,” Anu recollects, of their artistic journey. She had beforehand labored on Vidya’s costumes for Bhool Bhulaiyaa, and Guru. 

“I used to be capable of visualise Vidya as a youthful MS amma and commenced to work on the look. They each have equally stunning, pear-shaped faces. Vidya’s capacity to embody a personality fully, additionally made her the best alternative for this,” she says.

Having met MS Subbulakshmi up to now, Anu recollects being mesmerised by her grace and poise. “One thing that additionally struck me was how distinctive her sari drape was. It seemed like a 9 yards sari, however was really six yards. Her saris had been all in conventional, brilliant colors, and stay iconic to this present day,” she says. 

Whereas she acquired began with taking a look at pictures obtainable on-line and in books, Anu credit famend flautist Mala Chandrasekhar, the granddaughter-in-law of MS Subbulakshmi for her invaluable insights and steerage by way of the method of placing collectively 4 totally different appears for the photographs, shot by Rohn Pingalay. 

“Many photographs, as an illustration, had been in black and white. However Mala ma’am helped me determine the fitting colors and shades for the saris. I learnt from her that the singer used to put on saris woven by Muthu Chettiar, a weaver from Madurai within the early days, and later, saris from Nalli Chinnasami Chetty,” she says. 

The artistic journey concerned meticulous analysis by Anu for the saris she wore in the course of the Sixties and the Seventies.

Vidya Balan as MS Subbulakshmi within the iconic MS Blue sari
| Picture Credit score:
Rohn Pingalay

From a lot of saris which might be thought-about favourites, 4 had been chosen for the photograph tribute, every vital in its personal approach. The long-lasting MS blue sari that Vidya wore was sourced from the unique weaver Nalli Chinnasami Chetty in Chennai. Whereas celebrated by way of the years, the distinctiveness of the saris worn by the singer additionally meant having to go the customized route, to get it recreated. Anu says that Subhashini Srinivasan, proprietrix and design head, The S Studio Clothes coordinated the weaving course of for the three different saris.

In a recreation of the magenta sari with an orange border worn by M S Subbulakshmi for The Music Academy Sadas in 1968
| Picture Credit score:
Rohn Pingalay

A singular color mixture, the magenta sari with an orange border was woven within the late Sixties, and worn by the singer for the 1968 Sadas at The Music Academy, Chennai, the place she was honoured with the celebrated Sangita Kalanidhi award. For the recreation sequence, the sari was woven by D Srinivasan from Sri Balavinayagar Silks in Kanchipuram. 

Vidya in a recreation of the blue pearl sq. sari
| Picture Credit score:
Rohn Pingalay

The placing blue pearl sq. sari (muthu kattam sari), which as its title suggests, options pearl squares on the physique. “In contrast to at this time’s saris which have a broad zari or many traces of zari on the border, the saris of that interval maintained a extra simplistic type which added to its attract. This was a live performance favorite,” Anu mentioned, of the sari, which was recreated by weaver V Balakrishnan in Kanchipuram. 

In a recreation of the Ramar inexperienced sari
| Picture Credit score:
Rohn Pingalay

Of the favored Ramar Pacchai (inexperienced) sari with a mustard yellow border which was recreated by weaver D Srinivasan, Anu recollects struggling to search out the fitting shade, and going by way of a number of samples earlier than zeroing in on the fitting colors. “Mala ma’am had the same silk cotton sari, and gave me a bit of material from it which I used as a reference. This can be a in style color as effectively, one thing you’ll be able to hear being requested for in sari outlets. The unique sari had an interesting twin mixture of sea-green and middle-sea blue with a mustard oil border color,” Anu says, including that two weavers had been wanted to function the loom concurrently to realize these contrasting colors.

From the scale of the ring on her left ring finger, the a lot cherished mookuthi or nostril studs she sported on her nostril, her hair in a bun adorned with flowers, and the precise shade of kumkum on her brow had been different points of the look that they labored on. Her easy equipment complimented the colourful, brilliant saris she used to put on.  “MS Subbulakshmi’s easy stage persona would at all times shine by way of, and we needed to maintain this in thoughts whereas recreating her appears,” says Anu. 

The photographic tribute and Vidya’s portrayal of MS Subbalakshmi shouldn’t be merely a superficial imitation, however a deep appreciation for the singer’s artistry, the staff that labored on this tribute mentioned.