Bollywood has never shied away from grandeur, and when it comes to costumes, the price tags are just as dramatic as the performances themselves.
From diamond-studded turbans to imported latex bodysuits, here’s a look at some of the most expensive outfits ever worn by Indian actors on screen.
Kareena Kapoor in Kambakkht Ishq
Kareena Kapoor’s look in Kambakkht Ishq became a talking point. The actor had worn a black dress, specially ordered from Paris by producer Sajid Nadiadwala, for the filming of the title song.
According to reports, the dress cost Rs.800,000.
Akshay Kumar in Singh Is Kinng
Akshay Kumar’s look in Singh Is Kinng was defined by his dazzling turban — quite literally. A real diamond was embedded in the pagdi, elevating the costume’s total cost to ₹65 lakh.
“Akshay has been given a very special look for this movie. The pagdi would be the highlight of the look and would have a real diamond,” a source told Times of India at the time.
Kangana Ranaut in Krrish 3
Each suit cost ₹10 lakh, and with 10 such costumes made, the total hit a staggering ₹1 crore (file)
Playing a mutant in Krrish 3, Kangana Ranaut wore custom-made latex bodysuits that were inspired by Hollywood icons like Batman and Lara Croft.
“All the material for Kangana’s suits was imported from the same place (in France) where Angelina Jolie’s latex suit (for Lara Croft Tomb Raider) came from. Rakesh (Roshan) didn’t want to leave anything to chance,” an insider told Hindustan Times in 2013.
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Gavin Miguel, the designer behind the suits, added: “We sourced the fabric from the same place where many Hollywood films get their material.” Each suit cost ₹10 lakh, and with 10 such costumes made, the total hit a staggering ₹1 crore.
Deepika Padukone’s in Padmaavat
Authenticity was key in Padmaavat, and designer Rimple Narula spared no detail when creating Deepika Padukone’s royal wedding lehenga. According to ANI, the lehenga cost ₹20 lakh and weighed 30 kilograms.
The look took three hours to assemble each day and incorporated intricate traditional embroidery techniques such as Mukke ka Kaam, Salma Sitara, and Gokru Dunka. The result was a historically accurate and visually stunning piece of cinema fashion.
Shah Rukh Khan in Ra.One
When Shah Rukh Khan donned his superhero outfit in Ra.One, he wasn’t just wearing special effects, he was wearing literal millions. “It’s a million dollar costume — that’s four-and-a-half crore rupees per costume,” SRK told Hindustan Times in 2010.
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What’s more? “There’s not just one costume, there are 20 such!” That pushes the total wardrobe cost for the film to ₹90 crore, making it one of the most expensive costume budgets in Bollywood history.
