Intimidating, bold and dramatic, Ranveer Singh's first look as the Delhi sultan Alauddin Khilji released last week set social media ablaze due to the actor's charisma. However, Sanjay Leela Bhansali isn't one to leave his work undone. Apart from washing the leading man of his magnum opus, Padmavati, under layers of cosmetics, the director has also invested time in ensuring his attires do justice to his grey character.

Ranveer Singh in 'Padmavati'

The herculean task of replicating the era via Singh's attires lay with Delhi designers Rimple and Harpreet Narula, who attempted to balance the regality with Khilji's menacing avatar. Talking to mid-day about her creations, Rimple says she hoped to create a front that people would remember for several years. "We wanted to create a look of an antagonist that would align with Bhansali's vision. Given Khilji's Turkish origins, we conducted research on the costumes and textiles of the belt, looking up areas like Afghanistan and Kazakhistan, to Central Asia, around Turkey."