Cut and Colour
- Vivek Madan
- May 15
- 9 min read
Updated: May 16
The Costume Team ("Because our clothes have layers, not our name"), Mumbai's dynamic dressers on how they try and make all kinds of storytellers look - and feel - good.
Let's start at the very beginning. This picture is of the three of you together at the shows of Disney's Aladdin, which is where The Costume Team was born. But I want to go back to before this. Most people who are interested in clothing and styling gravitate to the fashion world, the world of haute couture. This was and remains, an unconventional choice. How did it happen for you?
Pallavi: Started with Barbie. Making Indian clothes for Barbie dolls with my grandma who was a proper seamstress! I loved sketching in school, and fashion was always such a joy for me. But so was storytelling… I didn’t properly enjoy making clothes without a context. Fashion can also have context and all that. But it is a business which revolves around sales after all. So when I discovered that I could create beautiful clothes without the pressure to sell them, while still weaving in stories, it had to be costumes!
Anubha: Apparently it's in my blood. When my great grandmother came to India from Pakistan during the partition, she started a stitching school for the women so they could be independent.
Cut to, three generations later, me. It started when I couldn't find nice fashionable clothes my size. Back in the day there was no concept of plus size clothing and inclusivity which was tough. I always took a keen interest in fashion and clothing and eventually got into it.
And Aladdin was where you all met? What was the conversation like, to be onboarded onto that team? Did you do it for the money? The ideas? The scale? The people?
Pallavi: I had the chance to work again with the same team from Beauty and the Beast (after what felt like a long gap of a year and a half) when they approached me to supervise Aladdin, it was very exciting! The scale and the camaraderie with that team is a blast, and to work with that skilled bunch of people, which got even more talented when Anubha and Srushti (and Saatvika, Spriha Yael so many of our close friends joined in)
All of the reasons, ideas, scale, people above all. Makes it even more special! Of course, the pay was a factor too—doing a project of this scale requires at least six months of effort, and that long-term commitment is fantastic for freelancers like me.
Anubha: Aladdin was where I had just branched out into more commercial musicals. A big shout out to Jeshron Tao, who actually recommended me for the project. I remember meeting Pallavi and Srushti and we hit it off immediately. Whilst on the project was also where we realised there was a gap between designers and theatre productions in India especially.
Theatre costumes are very different from those in films. There wasn't any one body per se in theatre which designed theatre ready costumes. We found that gap, filled it and daresay are the best at it.
And then TCT was born. Right? What does TCT do, exactly?
Anubha: TCT or very simply, The Costume Team (because our clothes have layers not our name) is a costume design and wardrobe management company across media, primarily theatre.
We have collaborated on over 50 productions with industry leaders, creating distinctive costumes, earning Filmfare nomination for their work on the web series TVF’s Pitchers, 2023.
Pallavi: We do everything and anything related to making clothes to be honest. And when its for stage its even more fun.
Now many people like painting, drawing, sewing, dancing, and so on. But not many have the ability or the inclination to draw on an entrepreneurial edge, to make their art or passion a business. Did you know what you were getting into? Do any of you have a business brain? Is it even required?
Pallavi: Honestly, our ideas are huge—really big, in fact! The thing is, none of us are exactly business-minded at heart. It is challenging trying to navigate the business side, like understanding contracts, scaling, delegating and marketing our work. And we equally hate making invoices! (Love the money don't get us wrong) It can be tough to balance creativity with those practicalities. But we’ve learned a ton over the years. As artists, that passion comes first, which means the business side sometimes takes a backseat. Still, we always strive to improve and make the next project even better than the last!
Anubha: What Is exciting is that theatre and musicals are becoming a lot more commercial which helps pay the rent. And also is a means of sustenance for a lot of our team members too like our tailors, dressmen, assistants etc.
Let's come to Akvarious now. Obviously you and Saatvika, Akvarious's Producer, met at Aladdin. Did they reach out to you? You to them? For which show and when?
Pallavi: I remember, not too long after we finished Aladdin, we got together for dinner. That’s when I showed Yael my website (I had designed for shows when i was studying in the UK and a couple of films in India) She was the first person to really push me to start approaching people as a costume designer, in theatre. I had only done costume supervision roles. She sent my website to every single person looking for (or she thought needed) a costume designer! Plus pestered them to hire me (continues to do so even today)
So before Saatvika reached out for A Small Family Business, I'd done a couple of years, but that was the first Akvarious play we worked on together. It was 2019, we were to open in April 2020 but of course that didn’t happen. Then there was this fun taping of Akvarious’s The Hound of the Baskervilles!! And a couple of other shows like This is US.
We used the time we had in the pandemic to connect with a LOT of people in the community and that really helped us get visibility very soon after we started TCT, including a wonderful bond with Akvarious!
What's the most fun you've had working on an Akvarious show? Making crazy costumes for wacky characters or exploring some new approach or fabricating process...?
Pallavi: The Cineplay Yeh Shadi nahi ho Sakti was too much fun! 90s Bollywood is Anubha's and my JAM.
Go with the flow was a brilliant play, i love it, especially the design! Adhaar really had some crazy ideas for those colours, logos and fictional worlds each different from the other. Spoiler alert, a river embodied as a human.
Also, this time, Akarsh's brilliant call back to each character from past Akvarious plays! And the fact that 4 actors play 10 characters is mental.
Most recently, Akash Uncle’s, The Tragedy of Ham MacLear was a fun challenge. We did a DIY costume making process for this, using a lot of found materials, because the characters in the play are a small theatre company. I enjoyed making the props and accessories by hand, not getting them ‘outsourced’.
In India, it's so easy to get things made. It's easy to fall into a rut. This year has seen a lot of productions where I have consciously handmade accessories, crowns, armor, and fabrics from scratch. It really feels so personal and helps perfectly realise your vision.
Who's on your list as a model for your clothes? A play, a character, an actor... The more unattainable the better. Because who knows, actually?
Anubha: Very recently we worked on the Phantom of the opera. For me seeing the construction of those costumes (and the actor playing the Phantom) was it. To be honest it would be James Spader in literally ANY production, or if Schitts Creek was ever made into a musical..
Pallavi: I would LOVE to make costumes for a play which is fantastical rather, non-human, like animals, celestial bodies, aliens! Something like that…a full fledged Opera in India (and set in India) would be so much fun… Any popstar in concert! That is a dream! Rihanna, Beyonce, Lady Gaga!
Stepping back into the larger world now... Who's the most demanding director/producer you've worked with? Not the unpleasant ones, let's not dwell on those. But the one who wouldn't compromise, who cared enough to not compromise? Is there anyone who springs to mind?
Anubha: For me it would be Alyque Padamsee. He was a force to reckon with. His attention to detail and precision was a big learning.
Pallavi: Demanding is a strong word, but perhaps Akarsh puts forth his ‘demands’ with such conviction that it doesn’t come across as pressure. He has really has a clear vision, I enjoy working with him and admire how he looks at each element as a part of the whole story, keeping his personal preferences/likes/dislikes aside. I’ve learnt some precious storytelling lessons by being a part of his process. Also Lillete Dubey, same demand with so much conviction, clarity in vision, maybe little more pressure but it’s always a fantastic outcome for the design.
You've also done a bunch of stuff outside the theatre. Events, Award Shows, OTT shows, cineplays... What's your reason for saying yes to a project? You're clearly diversified. Is this a truly transferable skill in that sense? Once you know one medium, can you adapt easily to others?
Anubha: Our reasons to say yes to a project vary from said projects to the other. There's the monetary factor, which to be honest is a lot more in other mediums as compared to theatre. There's also the creative challenges you face in other mediums. And of course adding lots and lots of feathers to our cap.
Pallavi: Definitely! And the skills are very much transferable, pretty much the same. But the processes, timelines, hierarchy, work culture are unbelievably different. We definitely need to keep coming back to theatre to recover from it haha, for the ethics and the community!
I know one of you studied Costume Design somewhere. Can you share a little about this course?
Pallavi: I studied at the London College of Fashion. Don't go by the name, the course was Costume Design for Performance, the building was a part of the theatre/ design/ special effects make up building. It was a part of a fashion college because of the infrastructure we could use for dress making.
It was brilliant! I worked for three years between finishing my BA and MA. Going back to college with clarity about what I wanted to do in my career (stage and costume) was unbelievable. I had access to world-class resources, some of the best tutors, and industry practitioners, as well as the opportunity to work in and experience London theatre for two years! We must not underestimate the skills and confidence you gain with practising trial and error in the safety net of a school.
Do you think you would be in the same place today if you had just learnt on the job? Or do you think people benefit from structured learning? Is teaching something you're keen on, as an organisation? You're doing a workshop this weekend, I believe...
Anubha: I picked things up as I went along, since I haven't had any formal training in costume design. However, I genuinely believe that there are many nuances to the craft, and structured learning brings with it a depth of understanding and a level of patience that can really enhance the learning experience.
Pallavi: Our first teaching stint was (again in the pandemic) we took a class on costume design for the Wilson College Theatre degree students. Also we conducted a lot of instagram live sessions teaching some fun hacks and skills we’ve learnt on the job. From packing your suitcases most efficiently to how to make functional items with extra/useless things lying around in your house!
It’s fun to share things you have learnt on the way with others, as much fun as i used to( and still do ) enjoy listening to other people share their experiences in other workshops. We also actively employ new and young professionals and train them ‘the theatre discipline’ way and to manage and make everything costume.
Knowing what you know today, what would you tell yourselves, at the start of your TCT journey? Something you wish someone had told you then…
Anubha: I think where we are today is all thanks to the hardships we faced in the beginning, the pandemic. When the lockdown lifted , I remember we took up any and every work that came our way. In hindsight it was the best learning we could get. If I could say one thing to us back then, it would be to breathe and that all the hard work WILL pay off.
Pallavi: Definitely trust the process and you are on the right path!
What's next for TCT? What shows? When, where? Spill the tea.
Anubha: TCT is going to Broadway ! Cannot say more. But stay tuned to our page on instagram!
Pallavi: And come watch Mumbai Star next weekend! 24/25th St. Andrews.
And finally, what's the one thing you wish for Akvarious, for their next 25 years?
Anubha and Pallavi: More plays, more travel, long runs for all their plays, lots of success and for TCT to be a separate cricket team in their tournament.
UPCOMING SHOWS
Weaving Tales: Costume Design Workshop
May 18 | 10am
Rangshila Theatre, Andheri
Aadyam Theatre presents Mumbai Star
May 24 and 25 | 7.30pm
St. Andrew's Auditorium, Bandra
About the weekend: Akvarious are celebrating 25 years of theatre. And while the anniversary is in December, we're doing loads of things all year long. One of the ambitious ideas is microfests, which are basically venue takeovers, where we do a whole of theatre and theatre related stuff and create a very packed weekend. The second one is this weekend at Bombay's newest auditorium - Rangshila Theatre. We're doing some theatre games, workshops, free events and discounted student passes as well. Swing by!
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