'Indian 2': One outfit demanded 4 months, ₹20L, reveals designer
Acclaimed Malayali costume designer, S B Satheeshan, recently revealed that he spent around four months designing a single costume for Kamal Haasan's latest offering Indian 2. But that's not all—the outfit's price tag was equally eye-catching, a whopping ₹20 lakh, per Onmanorama. The outfit was not available in India and was eventually found in Abu Dhabi. However, it reportedly required additional modifications to suit an action sequence in the film.
Satheeshan made his debut as costume designer with 'Indian 2'
Indian 2 marked Satheeshan's debut as a costume designer in the Tamil industry, fulfilling his long-standing dream of working on director S. Shankar's films. While Satheeshan's work on the second installment of Indian was limited to this single costume used in an action scene and a song sequence, he is set to play a more significant role in the upcoming Indian 3, anticipated to hit theaters in January 2025.
Satheeshan's admiration for director Shankar
In the same interview, Satheeshan expressed his admiration for director Shankar's work. He said, "After I watched Daya, I went to the next theatre to watch Jeans. I remember being awe-struck by the costumes in Jeans and hoping to get a chance to at least design one costume in a Shankar directorial." He also praised Shankar's meticulous approach toward costumes, stating, "He ensures all the costumes are designed several months ahead of the schedule. There is no last-minute rush."
Satheeshan's notable achievements in the Malayali film industry
Satheeshan is a respected figure in the Malayalam film industry, having contributed to several films including Guru, Devadoothan, Summer in Bethlehem, and Traffic. His exceptional work earned him the prestigious National Award for Best Costume Design in 1998 for Daya. Indian 2, featuring his costume design work, was released worldwide on Friday (July 12), and earned a whopping ₹26 crore on its opening day, per Sacnilk.