One of Indian television’s highly anticipated reality shows, “Bigg Boss,” has had a successful run so far – the fact that it’s retained its star anchor Salman Khan and is into Season Seven is proof enough. The choice of contestants at the “Bigg Boss“ house is always debatable considering it’s mostly a mix of out of work actors, once-upon-a-time-in-the-news-people, an item girl, a self-obsessed brawny model, a bitterly eloquent gay chap…you get the picture, right? The gossip sessions, back-stabbing moments, verbal duels, cootchie-cooing in corners (where the camera is always ready to zoom in) is ideal viewing for anyone looking for no-brainer entertainment unless you prefer answering questions like - “Which place would you find yaks in their natural habitat?” (“Kaun Banega Crorepati”). But more than content quality, what sticks out as an eyesore as we catch “Bigg Boss” every night is the dismal quality of dressing and lack of presentation skills by the contestants, barring one (more on that later) on the show. Neither the supposed angelic environs of Jannat (one part of the house) or the jail-house look of Jahannum (the other area) can draw attention away from Ratan Rajput’s ode to Elvis Presley via her side burns; Pratyusha Banerjee’s peroxide blonde hair that sometime look like mehendi orange with darker roots pleading for survival; Tanisha Mukherjee’s amnesia regarding her size. In a recent episode, she wore nude-coloured leggings that seem to be cutting off the oxygen supply to her legs.
Ok, now that we have started this debate on the sartorial choices of these housemates, here’s a clinical dissection. And we wish speakers in the house could bellow - “Bigg Boss chahetien hain ki sabhi housemates apni looks aur kapde sudhare.”
- RATAN RAJPUT
Dressed in a ghagra and a horribly messy braid, the whole gaon-ki-chori act on the premiere night by Ratan Rajput was a bit too much. Of course, that was our first introduction to her - take a deep breath - frizzy side-burns (Elvis would be so impressed). Inside the house, dressed in harem pants paired with spaghetti tops and hair pulled back in a sadhu-like bun, Ratan could be mistaken for those hippies who haunt Goa and its beaches. What she needs is a flat iron for her hair and a brighter set of clothes ASAP.
- KAMYA PUNJABI
She’s mean alright but her insipid wardrobe just doesn’t match up. Those gigantic hair clips were clearly borrowed from her daughter. Why oh why wouldn’t the ladies put in a little more effort in concealing their flaws with, guess what, er, makeup? And why oh why do they dress up (Kamya included) only on Saturday night when Salman Khan appears on their TV screen? Do they actually think viewers don’t watch the show on any other night, duh?
- ANITA ADVANI
Hmmm, Anita Auntyji is as the rest of the contestants put it “seniormost” in the house and we ought to be respectful. Yes, darn right. Kurti tops, leggings and suits – she’s walking the comfort road (read Behenji zone). What we like, though, is how her nail paint is impeccable all the time.
- ARMAAN KOHLI
The out-of-work attitude reflects in his dressing sense as well and he refuses to go beyond track-pants and bicep-flaunting T-shirts. Why do men shy from wearing a crisp kurta pyjama or cotton shirt, à la Fab India kinds with jeans?
- PRATYUSHA BANERJEE
You already read our rant about her hair. If you are celebrity who will have cameras trained on you 24/7, why wouldn’t you get your hair done (in this case repaired) before you entered the house, beats us? From faded school girl T- shirts to joining Ratan’s hippie gang, she needs to chuck out all of that and smear on some colour, starting with her face.
- SANGRAM SINGH
The Johnny Bravo of the house, his wardrobe is predictable comprising tight tees, Bermudas and ganjis. But a flash of him in a white Nehru-collar shirt on one Saturday night showed us he can get it right if he wishes to.
- ELLI AVRAM
Tugging “Mr Froggy” a life-size stuffed toad (sounds horrible, we know) with her to the house, Elli we feel is as confused with her sartorial choices. The first week she was in a “Lara Croft Tomb-Raider” mode wearing the tightest of cat suits paired with mutant Ninja kind of shoes and the Lara Croft braid. Then she went softer with tees and skimpy shorts and hoop earrings, reserving her flirty dresses and scarlet lips for the weekly rendezvous with Salman Khan. She has potential we think.
- KUSHAL TANDON
Johnny Bravo No 2 who clearly thinks his spiky and too heavy mop of hair will add two inches to his height. Tight tees, track pants, black pathani suit…yawn, boring, boring, boring.
- VJ ANDY
Barring his extremely short biker shorts, Andy’s not done too badly. But we really had hoped he would surprise us. Mostly spotted in lounge wear, he’s one of the boys when it comes to his wardrobe choices. How we miss Imam Siddiqui, sigh.
- SHILPA AGNIHOTRI
She’s admitted many a time on the show, telling other contestants, how she is ‘XS’ (extra small). Another case of blonde hair gone wrong, Shilpa’s red talons are always in the frame (yes, her hands do all the talking) and her perpetually surprised expression has much to do with her heavily mascara-ed eye lashes and pulled back hair. The wardrobe choices can be better and sometimes they improve around weekends.
- APURVA AGNIHOTRI
Perhaps he’s been auditioning for the role of Ram for too long. For nothing else can explain Apurva’s hairstyle. The mohawk might just be a welcome change for him. Not one to get into fights or resort to back biting, Apurva’s dull wardrobe won’t help in bringing him in the spotlight either. And his dishy “Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin” days are far gone.
- TANISHA MUKHERJEE
Always looking to be in command, Tanisha’s style choices swing like a pendulum. Some days she actually looks pleasant and chic and other days she forgets who she is and slips into clothes two sizes too small. Though full marks for tottering in heels during household duties.
- GAUHAR KHAN
Now if there’s someone who has managed to look made-up and made us sit up and take notice, it’s Gauhar. While she’s always ranked high on the hottie meter, Khan wears her make-up well, we have no issues with pop colours on the lips. Her clothes are mostly like resort wear – one-piece dresses with thigh high slits, off shouldered dresses, knee-length LBDs, jeans and shirts. She seems to have put thought into what she was packing for the stint. Barring a few slips, we still rate her as the fashionista of the house.
- ASIF AZIM
The newest to arrive in the “Bigg Boss” house, Asif is living up to his model image. “He’s lean and I like that,” summed up Anita Auntyji. Wearing polo shirts, shorts, jeans and well groomed hair, so far no complaints
