13 Bollywood-approved saris you need to bookmark for your next wedding 

The charm of a sari is unparalled. A forever classic, wedding season is incomplete without it. Timeless, elegant and versatile, the Indian staple scores on all fronts. And if you want proof of its versatility, you needn’t look further than the Instagram accounts of your favourite celebrities. From shimmering, red carpet-worthy numbers to timeless handlooms, here are all the saris you need to navigate through for the upcoming festive season.

Bollywood certainly deserves credit for putting the spotlight back on handlooms. Our actors, including the younger crop of millennials, have been rather vocal about promoting India’s rich textile heritage. In the past week itself, we were privy to images from Rhea Kapoor’s intimate wedding at home. Giving traditional heavy reds a miss, the film producer and stylist was seen in a custom ivory chanderi sari by Anamika Khanna. The look was styled with heavy polki jewellery and a vintage, pearl veil. While Kapoor's sari was all about understated elegance, actors like Madhuri Dixit Nene and Priyanka Chopra have often opted for vibrant, festive-appropriate weaves. In December 2019, Dixit Nene was spotted in a rich maroon Benarasi silk with floral motifs and a heavy border. Chopra too was seen making a case for the weave with her ornate gold Benarasi sari, which she wore for Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli's reception. The drape, from Chopra's personal collection, was styled with traditional temple jewellery and a simple red bindi. In recent times, we’ve also spotted Pooja Hegde in a silken weave—a Kanjeevaram, borrowed from her mother’s closet. Giving her own spin to the sari, the actor styled it with a chunky matha patti.

On the other hand, Aditi Rao Hydari has often shown us that a handloom can also be worn casually. In a recent Instagram post, she was seen wearing an elegant white drape with a colourful kalamkari blouse. This, of course, brings us to Bollywood’s eternal love affair with the white sari. While vintage Bollywood has long shown dancing damsels in white saris, our current lot of actors have lent the drape some contemporary flavour. For Armaan and Anissa Jain's post-wedding function, Sonam Kapoor Ahuja was seen in an elegant cotton-silk Good Earth sari. Decorated with a gota border, buttis and a statement geometric-patterned pallu, the look was paired with a heavy, bejewelled choker and earrings. For Kriti Sanon, it was a sheer white Manish Malhotra drape for the Sharma-Kohli reception. The delicate tulle sari was highlighted with floral embroidery and an off-shoulder blouse. 

Florals are also a recurring theme for our leading ladies. Katrina Kaif, the poster girl for all things floral, gave us a memorable look with her pastel, all-floral Sabyasachi sari that was paired with a belt. Vidya Balan too did florals in her own way—by doing her bit for handlooms. During a film promotional event, she donned an elegant, ivory Shivani Bhargava chanderi sari that was digitally printed with blooms. If you're a fan of the pattern, you may agree that these picks would make winning choices for rokas, poolside mehandis, and even intimate sangeet get-togethers. 

If you need a bit more bling for the season, take cues from Janhvi Kapoor or Karisma Kapoor, who gave us serious goals with their sequinned Manish Malhotra numbers. As you get ready for a season filled with small weddings and intimate festivities, scroll through for all the sartorial inspiration you’ll need, stat.

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