The Moment: The “Ae Dil Hai Mushkil” title track – Saba sitting in a dimly lit room, smoking, wearing a crushed red saree.
Saba is a poet, a heartbreaker, a ghost. The red here is melancholy luxury. She isn’t performing for anyone. She is just existing in her own beautiful, broken world. When she recites “Main tera, tu meri… ya nahi”, the red light on her face makes her look like a painting of lost love. The Moment: The “Ae Dil Hai Mushkil” title
Why it’s iconic: It is the first time Aishwarya played an older, wiser, emotionally unavailable woman. The red saree became an instant fashion obsession. Appearing in the song "Kajra Re" (a tribute
Appearing in the song "Kajra Re" (a tribute to Helen), Aishwarya wears a beaded red saree. The notable moment is the ada (style): She does not let Abhishek Bachchan or the audience look away. The lyric "Kajra re, kajra re, tere kaajal ka yeh kajra re" synchronized with her wink and the flash of red nails became a national phenomenon. It is the most famous item number of the 2000s. Mani Ratnam brings her full circle
Mani Ratnam brings her full circle. As Nandini (the Pazhuvoor Queen), her character is obsessed with revenge. Costume designer Eka Lakhani dresses her exclusively in shades of burgundy, rust, and oxblood red.
Here, red transitions from sensuality to royalty. As Queen Jodhaa, Aishwarya wears a heavily embroidered red lahenga for her wedding to Emperor Akbar (Hrithik Roshan).
