As The Family Man Season 3 wins hearts, costume designer Neha Bajaj has offered rare insight into the thought process behind styling the show’s antagonists. In an exclusive conversation with Bollywood Hungama, Bajaj spoke at length about designing looks that steer clear of stereotypes while remaining deeply rooted in character backstories.
Setting the foundation for her approach, Bajaj explained, “In general, the approach to costume is definitely to avoid cliches for anybody. Be it the main actors or the antagonists. But also a lot of it comes from what is written about the characters, the back story, and where they are based and what kind of world they are coming from.”
Talking about Jugal Hansraj’s character Dwarkanath, Bajaj revealed that the idea was to portray him as a sharp, discreet power player rather than a flashy villain. “We wanted to make him look like a, you know, a sharp techie. So, everything. The colors he wears are very dark. The silhouettes are very sharp cut,” she said, adding that the internal backstory imagined him as an America-based techie dealing with arms and influential global figures. Despite immense wealth, she stressed, “We didn't want to make him go the very loud Rolex, gold chains wearing guy at all… He still had to be very under the radar, very classy looking guy without being over the top at all.” Bajaj further emphasised that Dwarkanath’s appearance had to ensure “there is no way he wants to be seen… He only wants to be behind the camera kind of person.”
Speaking about Nimrat Kaur’s Meera, Bajaj highlighted how power and presence defined her wardrobe. “Nimrat's character has to be extremely powerful. Very boss lady vibe,” she said, noting that her presence itself was meant to unsettle. Bajaj described Meera’s impactful introduction, saying, “She walks in with a nice silhouetted dress in burgundy… visually… everybody is going to notice her.”
On Jaideep Ahlawat’s Rukma, Bajaj said it was crucial to ensure he looked nothing like his Paatal Lok character. “It was very, very important for us to definitely keep him very away from his Paatal Lok image,” she explained. The focus was on realism and ruggedness, as Rukma is constantly on the move. “The fabrics that I've chosen are the fabrics that don't need ironing. There's a lot of repeat of clothes,” she noted, adding that even layering was organic, dictated by real weather conditions during the Northeast shoot.
Detailing his look further, Bajaj explained, “For him, even the layering is in the form of double shirts… Because he would literally throw in a couple of clothes and get on his bike and just zoom away.” She also spoke about his hair, saying, “It should never look like he actually brushed out and stood in front of the mirror… We wanted to stay away from all of that.”
Summing up Rukma’s appeal, Bajaj concluded, “His USP is his rustic charm… But they come from two very different worlds,” referencing the contrast between Rukma and Meera—an opposition that ultimately shapes the narrative arc of The Family Man Season 3.
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