Sunday, 8 October 2023

Zeba Sajid's Costume Magic Takes Center Stage in 'Country of Blind’ | BCR NEWS

BCR NEWS (New Delhi): 'Country of Blind,' a movie based on H.G. Wells' short story and directed by Rahhat Shah Kazmi, is captivating audiences with its remarkable storyline, costumes, and cinematic development. Shot in Kashmir, this movie is leaving a lasting impression with its unique outfits designed by 'The Queen of Costume,' the prominent TV and film designer, Zeba Sajid.


Zeba Sajid is no stranger to the industry, having previously astounded audiences with her remarkable work in 'Lihaaf' (2019). Whether it was the Zardozi work for Begum Jaan (portrayed by Sonal Sehgal) or the brocade fabric creations for Nawab Sahib (Mir Sarwar), Zeba's costumes were the talk of the town. Now, with 'Country of Blind' (COB), she is poised to once again capture the hearts of the masses.

Designing costumes for COB characters wasn't a cakewalk for Zeba. Thus, she experimented with something that hadn't been done in the industry before. She conducted extensive research about the people of that era and watched numerous movies based on blind people to understand the essence of their daily lives and the struggles they faced while performing basic chores. The intricacies of her designs, creativity, and imagination can be observed only if one watches the movie.


Zeba explains that the outfits she designed for each character were neither tailor-made nor machine-made. Everything was crafted from scratch, starting with arranging the raw materials, chemically washing them, and adding a thick layer of cotton lining to prevent skin rashes and allergies. She goes on to mention that she instructed her team to cut the garments in an asymmetrical manner, with their eyes closed, to achieve a realistic look, keeping in mind the perspective of a blind person doing the cutting. This attention to detail is evident in the film, as none of the characters wear properly cut dresses, and the colors vary. Hina Khan's character, Gosha, even wears slippers of two different colors to create a natural appearance.



Zeba Sajid added that Director Rahhat Shah Kazmi played a crucial role in giving the characters an authentic look and feel through their unique attire. Recalling their pre-shoot discussions, she explains how they envisioned the characters as individuals living in forests with visual impairments. These characters would either wear minimal clothing or, if necessary, utilize whatever was available in their environment, such as grasses for slippers obtained from the resources they gathered for food. Zeba Sajid's team, including young interns from diverse backgrounds across the country, spared no effort in ensuring the costumes conveyed a natural look and essence.

It's quite surprising that a costume designer, whose saree collections became a household name in 2006 soon after the popular Zee TV show 'Ghar ki Lakshmi Betiyann' became a huge hit, doesn't want to seek copyright protection for her remarkable designs in COB. Zeba Sajid is of the view that she feels content when she sees people liking, appreciating, and following her work. She hasn't considered obtaining a copyright or a designer label for her creative designs yet.

Written by Rahhat Shah Kazmi, the film is produced by him, along with Zeba Sajid, Tariq Khan, and Namita Lal. It is co-produced by Jayant Jaiswal, Jitendra Rai, and Ahmer Haider. The cast includes Shoib Nikash Shah and Hina Khan in lead roles, supported by Anushka Sen, Mir Sarwar, Inaamulhaq, Hussein Khan, and Pradhuman Singh in major roles.


Meta Tags

#CostumeDesigner #ZebaSajid #CountryofBlind #RahhatShahKazmi #HinaKhan

No comments:

Post a Comment