Sridevi to Madhuri Dixit: Decoding the appeal of the sunset-hued saree and who truly owned it

When '90s legends share the same style moment, it’s never just about fashion; it’s all about creating a legacy. Designer Neeta Lulla created this moment when actresses Sridevi, Madhuri Dixit, and Juhi Chawla wore the fiery orange and molten gold saree with intricate pleats at the front, which looked nothing short of unforgettable. Let’s decode these looks and see for yourself which is the best amongst the three.

Sridevi’s golden, molten and orange saree, designed by National Award-winner Neeta Lulla, was worn in the popular 1994 film ‘SP Parashuram’. This stunning ensemble, featuring structured pleating to the front and the pallu at the back from the left stole the show. She teamed it with a matching blouse featuring elbow-length sleeves with intricate brown sequinned embroidery, which looked absolutely iconic.

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Juhi Chawla's vivid sunset-orange hue became symbolic of warmth and vulnerability, looking absolutely stunning and being designed by Neeta Lulla from the film 'Darr'. What made this look different was her matching blouse, featuring a full-sleeve design with a round neckline with mesh detailing and a brown sequined design, which felt effortless yet deeply cinematic.

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Madhuri Dixit’s look in the iconic song ‘Dhak Dhak Karne Laga’ from ‘Beta’ looked nothing short of legendary, where she wore this vibrant orange saree featuring a body-hugging drape with a matching full-sleeved silk blouse with a round, sharp V-neckline. But, unlike the other brown-sequined blouse design, she tossed the sequined blouse with bright golden embroidery that made this a defining moment in Bollywood’s fashion, which still influences it today.

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Well, the saree was first seen in the film ‘Beta’, which was released in 1992. Where the styling of the pleats and pallus remained the same, what changed was the blouse reference. Madhuri Dixit carried the sunset piece with golden detailing on the blouse, whereas Sridevi's and Juhi Chawla's blouse references had a sequin charm drenched in brown. All three looks were used simultaneously over the years, which shows how the audience in the '90s loved each of them, and to this day, these three live rent-free in our minds.

(Image Credits: Pinterest)

As mentioned earlier, the magician behind these iconic Bollywood looks was none other than, ace designer Neeta Lulla, who has worked in over 300 Indian films.