SHOE IN BOLLYWOOD
In a film, you can't have the Chowkidar wearing evening shoes," explain designer Narendra Kumar when we quiz him about the importance of shoes in movies. Nowadays, Narendra thinks sporty shoes are in but unfortunately they don't find there way into film since they don't have heels. "Some people need shoes that give them a younger look taller. Some need shoes to make them look taller. Akshay kumar is the only one I've seen wearing sports shoes," he says.
Actor Rahul Bose feels that shoes are the gait of the character is very important element of how the character is perceived by the audience. "Sir Laurence Olivier was right when he said that shoes help you get into character," he says. Oliver was also known to have said 'relax your feet', which would only be possible in a good pair of shoes. In any case, Rahul cites an example of what he mean: "in Mr and Mrs Iyer, Aparna Sen explained to me that the walk of the character was important."
Stylist Jayanti bose, whose style icon are Jhon Travolta and Amitabh Bachhan, says that shoes are tres important to a man's style quotient and are integral to the look and feel of films. "movies like Gandhi, Jodha Akbar, dancing in the rain, Chicago, the sound of music, rent, mary poppins,the devil wear prada, Moulin rouge and the wizard of oz all featured shoes prominently," says Jayanti adding that while some of the films showcase footwear from different eras in human history, some are musical or fashion related films.
Unfortunately, most actors don't pay attention to the lower part of their body. Narendra Kumar says that's because for the cinema the 'look' is generally prepared for everything waist and above. So they tend not to pay attention to what they are wearing on their feet. That's a mistake says the designer. "Because when you wear a nice pair of shoes you feel great about you're doing. It is an important part on how an actor feels when he's giving the shot." Narendra emphasis Kunal Kapoor agrees. He says,' I think shoes are really important to a man's style. People tend to notice what shoes you're wearing."
Rahul bose,s shoes are of paramount importance in a film. In his upcoming movie. Mumbai Chaka Chak, he, splaying a BMC worker. "So, I'm wearing battered canvas shoe." He smiles. To show just how important shoes are to the man, he recalls wearing suede slip-ons in Mr and Mrs Iyer and fake Nike sports shoe in split wide open. All in an effort to look the part. And a good pair of shoes is important to actor Tusshar Kapoor who prefers comforts over style. "If I'm comfortable, that makes me feel stylish," he confides.
Just as Jeetendra;s white shoes became a trademark in his films, shoes have always played an important role in the movies. Rahul reminisces about how Sanjeev Kumar used his hobnailed boots to almost kill Amjad Khan in Sholay. So would the slightly vertically challenged Rahul ever step into a pair of height boosting shoes? "Never" he says empathetically. Though he'd very much like to spend a day in the shoes of Sachin Tendulkar just to know what it feels like to be such a "sporting genius". Shoes may not make a man, but they certainly help.
