Ananya Panday is easing into the promotions for her upcoming romantic drama film, Chand Mera Dil, with outfits that understand the current language of method dressing. For press tours, celebrities increasingly borrow from their character’s on-screen identity through their fashion, but Panday chose a subtler route, weaving in references to the film through a powder blue palette and delicate chand motifs that nodded to the title.
The sky blue Asmani Anarkali by Torani is described by the founder, Karan Torani, as “a handwritten love letter to nostlgia, travel and memory.”
“Rooted in the romance of slow summers and heirloom craft, the collection draws from sunlit verandahs, monsoon skies, vintage postcards, and stories carried across generations,” says the designer. Panday’s ensemble is crafted in matka silk and embroidered with intricate kaccha resham and signature aari work across a sweeping nine-yard ghera, explains Torani. “Delicate lotus and tropical motifs move across the garment like fragments of a dreamscape, while chain-stitch detailing, soft threadwork, and Torani’s signature pearl tassels bring together a sense of intimacy and craftsmanship.” The scalloped edges of the silk organza dupatta evoke the image of clouds fading into the sky, further detailed with pearl accents.
The actor’s anarkali reflects a broader conversation around lightness in occasion wear for warm-weather celebrations. “In a country shaped by sun-drenched summers, the collection pays homage to India’s long legacy of airy, poetic textiles,” says Torani, referencing fabrics once described as baft-e-hawa or woven air.
Stylist Meagan Concessio paired the anarkali with a pearl choker accented with sapphire-toned gemstones that complemented the cool colour story of the ensemble. At its centre, it was embedded with a chand motif pendant with uncut diamonds. Matching chandbali earrings and a sleek bun finished with a moon-inspired hair accessory reinforced the celestial undertones.
