Apart from the plot and performances of the cast and crew, the recently released Razakar has also been appreciated for the looks of the actors. The Pioneer quickly connects with Pooja Vangala, the lady behind the costumes, sharing some deets on getting onboard for the project, her research to bring in authenticity,
and more.
and more.
K. Ramya Sree
The film Razakar, released recently, has been receiving a good response from many people. The film is set against a political backdrop. For a film like this, the looks of the actors and location set the whole mood. For this movie, a youngster named Pooja Vangala designed costumes for all the lead cast, and her work is so widely appreciated that she is now getting many offers from the industry.
From not wanting to work in the industry to finally setting her foot in it and creating a niche for herself, the 25-year-old is a supremely talented and reliable soul for whom designing is more than a concept. It is an emotion for her. In this interview with us, she shared, “After graduating from NIFT in 2021, I was establishing my studio in Madhapur, Hyderabad. During this period, I received a reference from a friend, who was in need of a costume designer for this particular project. I submitted my portfolio. The director gave me a glimpse of the story and gave me three days to demonstrate my work. I then began to research more about the history and delivered the work in three days, and I immediately hopped onto the project.”
If you have watched Razakar, you will easily relate to the costumes. They were so natural and authentic. We asked her how she managed to bring such authenticity to the screen through her work, and she informed us, “It is all about the research. I met people who were present during the freedom struggle. For example, in the project, there was a character called Basava Annaya, and I had no idea what he did in history. I asked the assistant if he was Reddy, Brahmin, Rao, or Goud, and I was told he was a Brahmin. So I called one of my friends, who is a Brahmin and spoke to her grandfather. I took a reference picture from her on how her grandfather draped Dhoti, as I wanted to see his look when he was young. So that way, for every character, a lot of research went into it. After reading many books and meeting many people, I could finally implement these outfits.”
Razakar is her first project, and she designed costumes from tip to toe for each and every actor. She recreated the 1947 look, and it was her biggest task. “Getting those fabrics, accessories, hairstyles, and draping styles was all difficult. Everything was done after detailed research. It took me one and a half months for research,” shared Pooja, for whom movies weren’t her forte, but she accidentally happened to enter here, and now offers are knocking on her doors. Does she want to continue it? This is what she had to say: “Razakar is a periodic film now. I got an offer after this project from Sony for a web series from director Devakatta Garu. The shooting is still going on. That is also a period webseries. I am only getting such opportunities, and I personally want to take up such projects. This is something where I can do some research and gain some knowledge. I prefer to do such projects.”
“These are the projects where I can implement what I learned from college. I worked on a love project too, which is yet to be released. I didn’t have that much fun making those costumes. It was more like buying existing costumes and styling them. I design costumes from scratch in my studio, and I like it that way,” she added.
For now, she is also focusing on her studio, but she wants to go back to movies as it has become a passion for her. Sharing about her learning experiences from Razakar, she shared, “People will backstab you a lot. But stand by your ground, learn from your mistakes, execute, and repeat. I realised lately that many people in the industry try to pull you down. Making mistakes and learning from them is what one has to focus on.”
Having mentioned her studio, the youngster tries to spend a few hours every day at her studio, and she aims to ensure that her designer studio caters to a diverse clientele spanning from the middle class to the upper middle class, offering designs that encompass a wide range of budgets. “Even with the varied responsibilities I manage, clients from diverse backgrounds, including politicians, actors, and acquaintances of acquaintances, continue to visit my design studio in Madhapur,” she shared, further adding, “Despite the presence of esteemed designers in the market, accessibility remains a challenge for many due to pricing constraints. Alongside my commitments to the movie industry, I dedicate a few hours each day to effectively managing both endeavours, ensuring the ongoing success of my business.”
The film Razakar, released recently, has been receiving a good response from many people. The film is set against a political backdrop. For a film like this, the looks of the actors and location set the whole mood. For this movie, a youngster named Pooja Vangala designed costumes for all the lead cast, and her work is so widely appreciated that she is now getting many offers from the industry.
From not wanting to work in the industry to finally setting her foot in it and creating a niche for herself, the 25-year-old is a supremely talented and reliable soul for whom designing is more than a concept. It is an emotion for her. In this interview with us, she shared, “After graduating from NIFT in 2021, I was establishing my studio in Madhapur, Hyderabad. During this period, I received a reference from a friend, who was in need of a costume designer for this particular project. I submitted my portfolio. The director gave me a glimpse of the story and gave me three days to demonstrate my work. I then began to research more about the history and delivered the work in three days, and I immediately hopped onto the project.”
If you have watched Razakar, you will easily relate to the costumes. They were so natural and authentic. We asked her how she managed to bring such authenticity to the screen through her work, and she informed us, “It is all about the research. I met people who were present during the freedom struggle. For example, in the project, there was a character called Basava Annaya, and I had no idea what he did in history. I asked the assistant if he was Reddy, Brahmin, Rao, or Goud, and I was told he was a Brahmin. So I called one of my friends, who is a Brahmin and spoke to her grandfather. I took a reference picture from her on how her grandfather draped Dhoti, as I wanted to see his look when he was young. So that way, for every character, a lot of research went into it. After reading many books and meeting many people, I could finally implement these outfits.”
Razakar is her first project, and she designed costumes from tip to toe for each and every actor. She recreated the 1947 look, and it was her biggest task. “Getting those fabrics, accessories, hairstyles, and draping styles was all difficult. Everything was done after detailed research. It took me one and a half months for research,” shared Pooja, for whom movies weren’t her forte, but she accidentally happened to enter here, and now offers are knocking on her doors. Does she want to continue it? This is what she had to say: “Razakar is a periodic film now. I got an offer after this project from Sony for a web series from director Devakatta Garu. The shooting is still going on. That is also a period webseries. I am only getting such opportunities, and I personally want to take up such projects. This is something where I can do some research and gain some knowledge. I prefer to do such projects.”
“These are the projects where I can implement what I learned from college. I worked on a love project too, which is yet to be released. I didn’t have that much fun making those costumes. It was more like buying existing costumes and styling them. I design costumes from scratch in my studio, and I like it that way,” she added.
For now, she is also focusing on her studio, but she wants to go back to movies as it has become a passion for her. Sharing about her learning experiences from Razakar, she shared, “People will backstab you a lot. But stand by your ground, learn from your mistakes, execute, and repeat. I realised lately that many people in the industry try to pull you down. Making mistakes and learning from them is what one has to focus on.”
Having mentioned her studio, the youngster tries to spend a few hours every day at her studio, and she aims to ensure that her designer studio caters to a diverse clientele spanning from the middle class to the upper middle class, offering designs that encompass a wide range of budgets. “Even with the varied responsibilities I manage, clients from diverse backgrounds, including politicians, actors, and acquaintances of acquaintances, continue to visit my design studio in Madhapur,” she shared, further adding, “Despite the presence of esteemed designers in the market, accessibility remains a challenge for many due to pricing constraints. Alongside my commitments to the movie industry, I dedicate a few hours each day to effectively managing both endeavours, ensuring the ongoing success of my business.”
