EXCLUSIVE: Haq costume designer Ashley Rebello reveals Yami Gautam’s reaction to first look test, says he took inspiration from his father to avoid “70s caricature”; decodes 5-month research process

By Jiya Chulet -

November 12, 2025 - 2:01 PM IST

Costume designer Ashley Rebello, who has dressed some of the biggest names in Bollywood, recently spoke about his work on Haq, directed by Suparn Varma and starring Emraan Hashmi and Yami Gautam Dhar. The film, produced by Junglee Pictures in association with Insomnia Films and Baweja Studios, tackles themes of the Uniform Civil Code, Triple Talaq, and gender equality before the law, and was released on November 7, 2025.

EXCLUSIVE: Haq costume designer Ashley Rebello reveals Yami Gautam’s reaction to first look test, says he took inspiration from his father to avoid “70s caricature”; decodes 5-month research process

Rebello, known for his eye for detail and authenticity, shared that the response to his work in Haq has been “outstanding” in an exclusive chat with Bollywood Hungama. He said, “I didn't even expect it. I expected people to come and tell me that I’ve done a good job, but the kind of reactions I’ve received have been overwhelming. Everyone who has seen the film tells me it feels so real — like they’re watching a lived-in world, not a set. And they’ve been saying how beautiful Yami looks and how different Emraan appears. Emraan himself told me it’s the first time he’s looked like a Muslim character — and that made me very happy.”

Set in the 1970s, Haq presented a particular challenge in terms of recreating the era’s aesthetic without resorting to clichés. Ashley approached the task with sensitivity and research. “Yes, it was definitely challenging,” he admitted. “But I remember my parents from that time — my mom wore traditional Indian clothes, while my dad never went for bell bottoms or the exaggerated 70s caricature we often see on screen. That’s when I decided that Emraan shouldn’t look like that either.”

The designer drew inspiration from his father’s wardrobe and the cultural sensibilities of smaller cities like Indore, where part of the film is set. “Even today, many of my friends from Indore wear kurta pajamas at night instead of T-shirts and shorts. So, for Emraan, I gave him cotton patanis for daywear, kurta pajamas for home, and bandhgalas for work. I even researched and found that many Muslim lawyers prefer bandhgalas, so that felt authentic,” he explained.

Rebello’s design process was rooted in extensive on-ground research. “The story is inspired not just by the Shah Bano case but by the experiences of many women across decades. Since it’s set in Lucknow and Indore, I went there, observed the people, took pictures, read articles, and studied how they dressed,” he said. “I realised most fabrics were hand-dyed — people wore silks, crepe silks, cottons, and malmal. So, I worked with those materials, dyed them, got the dupattas embroidered and crocheted. It took about four to five months.”

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Both Yami Gautam Dhar and Emraan Hashmi were closely involved in the creative process. “They were very open,” Rebello shared. “When Suparn Varma brought me on board, he told me, ‘You’ve done over a hundred films, I don’t need to brief you.’ I read the story and came up with what felt right. When we did the look test, Yami said it was perfect. She didn’t think we needed to change anything. That gave me the confidence to move ahead with the rest.”

For Ashley Rebello, Haq was not just another project but a film that demanded sensitivity to both its political context and emotional undercurrents.

Also Read: EXCLUSIVE: “Haq was passed WITHOUT a single cut in India but also in UAE, UK, USA, Singapore”; Suparn S Varma BREAKS silence on criticism: “The way we approached Shazia and Abbas, they could be Sunita and Amit or Sandra and Albert and it would still make NO difference”