Is the '90s dupatta-gown combo making a comeback in Bollywood?

From glammed-up couture moments to festive splendour, the iconic fashion aesthetics of the ’90s are making a striking comeback, this time embraced by Bollywood’s leading ladies and swiftly adopted by Gen Z trendsetters. The revival of corsets, the return of barrel jeans, and the reimagining of beauty pageant-style dressing are dominating red carpets and star-studded soirées alike. It was fashion icon Marilyn Monroe who first introduced the glamorous pairing of a sleek dupatta with a modish gown to Western audiences. Over time, beauty queens across the globe embraced this fusion, turning it into a timeless trend. Now, our Bollywood divas are giving the dupatta-gown combo a new-age spin, serving looks that are bold, graceful, and red carpet-ready. Let’s decode some of their most dazzling ensembles.

At the launch of her recent release, ‘The Royals’, Bhumi Pednekar wore a stunning white silk full-length body-fit gown featuring a corset waistline, strapless finish, and plunging neckline. Coming with a back slit for ease of movement and a floor-length hemline, the iconic fit perfectly accentuated her side curves. Giving it a posh touch, the diva completed the look with a draped floor-length white silk dupatta and carried it over her arms.

(Image Credits: Instagram)

Looking absolutely ravishing at the Red Sea Festival, Kareena Kapoor Khan attended a Bvlgari event in Dubai and pulled out all the dramatic stops in a stunning ruched pink body-fit gown from Anamika Khanna’s collection. The figure-flattering full-length gown came in with a strapless neckline, and to match its aura, the diva teamed it with a floral-printed resham embroidered cape-like dupatta. Completing the look with Bvlgari’s high-jewellery Serpenti necklace from their Aeterna collection, Kareena unleashed her begum avatar and looked iconic.
(Image Credits: Instagram)

Taking a glamorous trip down memory lane, Priyanka Chopra’s winning Miss World gown was a masterclass in elegance and style, truly unforgettable. The diva stunned in a strapless pale pink creation featuring a plunging sweetheart neckline that beautifully highlighted her decolletage and shoulders. The bodice, adorned with delicate rhinestones and silver embroidery, shimmered with intricate detailing that elevated her natural beauty. Flowing into a sheer mesh skirt, the gown exuded grace and drama, perfectly complemented by a matching dupatta draped effortlessly over her arms- sealing her moment of global stardom with timeless allure.
(Image Credits: Pinterest)

Winning the Miss Universe title almost two decades back, Lara Dutta left the world in awe as she gave her powerful answer in a stunning fiery red outfit. For the eve, the diva wore a sleek-fitted, heavy sequinned, full-length red gown with a one-shoulder neckline and teamed it with a same-shade mesh-finish dupatta, wrapped around her arms. The red-beaded embroidery all over the main bodice shone under the lights, making her outfit look more gorgeous than ever.
(Image Credits: Pinterest)

In the song ‘Kahin Aaj Lage Lag Jaave’ from the film ‘Taal’, Aishwarya wore a full-length heavy sequinned lavender gown that came with a body-fitted silhouette and elegance wrapped around her body. The strappy detailing with a chic neckline, Aishwarya teamed it with a same-shade organza dupatta and was seen playing around with it throughout the song. However, what stood out the most was the choice of jewellery, as the diva wore a string of diamond-studded handcuffs with matching headgear and earrings.
(Image Credits: Pinterest)