ILEANA'S SPLIT PERSONALITY! :TOI

ILEANA'S SPLIT PERSONALITY!

The actress, who is wowing everyone with her high street fashion sense looks like a completely different person in her Tollywood flicks

Sarah Salvadore

There is a stylish side to Ileana ' a side that the Tollywood audiences never gets to see. And this aspect has been captured by Bollywood in all its glory. Ever since the trailers of her Bollywood debut, Barfi, hit airwaves, audiences have been raving about Ileana and her fashion quotient. While the movie has her in a simple yet chic onscreen avatar, the svelte star has been making public appearances dressed impeccably in high street couture like Roberto Cavalli, Falguni and Shane Peacock, Zara ' you name it.
But cut to the stills of her latest Tollywood releases opposite Ravi Teja and Allu Arjun ' and Ileana's look is a throwback to the days when 'styling' in movies was unheard of. Yes, all marks to T-Town for discovering the lady, but when it comes to presenting her on screen, the industry seems at a loss. The actor's personal sense of style may be impeccable, but her onscreen avatar is no more than a sartorial horror. And the result ' she looks like a doll whose outfits were created by putting together ugly scraps of cloth and scarves! Ah! Such disservice to the pretty lady. But hey, we aren't saying this. The pictures speak for themselves. And no, even the 'role-demands-thelook' justification is inexcusable. And so is a wardrobe solely consisting of midriff-baring outfits!

T'wood need stylists, pronto!


Why just Ileana? Most leading ladies in Tollywood are presented tackily on screen. That's because the producers do not want to spend money on hiring a 'proper' stylist or designer who knows fashion. Mostly costume designers are brought on board who put together an outfit for the actor. In most cases it's absolutely unflattering on them. Sad, but true.
' DESIGNER
SHILPA REDDY The concept of 'glamour' in Tollywood is only about showing the navel, I guess. The audience (whom we call 'mass') is fed up of this loud and raunchy stuff. Styling for a leading lady can perhaps be done with sophistication, if the costume designer is given the right kind of freedom. The director too needs to have a sense of style and know how to present his leading lady. Only then will it translate in the film.
' GANESH NALLARI

Ileana makes stylish public appearances at her movie's audios launch in the city and (top right) at an awards show in Mumbai

Ileana in stills from Julayi (above) and Devudu Chesina Manushulu (right)