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From 'Raavan' to 'Thug Life': Eka Lakhani on More Than a Decade of Designing for Mani Ratnam
Mentored by Mani Ratnam, stylist and costume designer Eka Lakhani builds characters stitch by stitch, on-screen and off.
When Eka Lakhani first stepped onto the set of Mani Ratnam’s Raavan (2010) in 2008, she was a 22-year-old graduate from New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology. As most do, she dreamed of working in couture, and that led her to assisting designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee on the film. But soon enough, she fell in love with the world of cinema. Crediting her “guru”, as she calls him, she shares, “I joined Raavan for Sabyasachi Mukherjee, but turned costume designer for Mani Ratnam.”
Lakhani recalls, “Every time I have even a five-minute conversation with Mani sir, there’s always something that he teaches me. For instance, he once said that everything should not be perfect, and we must find one flaw that’s going to make it all look real.” Good cinema, in his opinion, is one that imitates real life, and that sense of relatability is one that’s echoed in Sabyasachi’s clothing as well. Together, they created a world she’s now found her footing in.
Over the years, Lakhani has become Ratnam’s trusted costume designer, collaborating on films like Kadal (2013), O Kadhal Kanmani (2015), Chekka Chivantha Vaanam (2018) and the magnum opus Ponniyin Selvan (2022). Their latest collaboration, Thug Life (2025), marks another significant milestone in their enduring professional relationship. Featuring stars like Kamal Haasan, Silambarasan T.R. (Simbu) and Trisha Krishnan, it remains a testament to the power of mentorship and the sheer magic that ensues when creative minds align.
“It’s exciting on multiple levels,” Lakhani says, speaking of Thug Life, “especially since Mani sir and Kamal sir were reuniting after decades.” While Haasan had his own stylist, Amritha Ram, onboard, Lakhani designed the looks for the rest of the cast — and among them, some were familiar faces. “It was my second time styling Simbu and he’s now at his fittest, looking amazing. Since a few of his images from the film are out, I’ve just been flooded with messages from his fans.”
Trisha Krishnan, another frequent collaborator of Lakhani’s, called for a complete transformation. “Even though I’ve styled her for many ads and events, we had to rediscover her for Thug Life. I know her comfort zone, what looks good on her — but with Mani sir, we are back to [square one] — building her up again.”
One of Lakhani’s favourite moments from the film came while working on the song “Jinguchaa”, a festive wedding number that embodies what Lakhani describes as Mani Ratnam’s signature aesthetic — that is, finding beauty in chaos. “Prep is going on, kitchen work is happening, dancers are dancing, the pandit is working — and within that, there are these beautiful, romantic moments he manages to capture.”
What sets Ratnam’s process apart, she notes, is how early and collaboratively he involves his creative team. “Mani sir won’t say that he wants a particular look. He wouldn’t say that he wants a character to wear a bold costume; instead, he’ll tell us they’re fierce or rebellious, and let us discover what that should look like.” That process of discovery often starts at the writing stage. For example, even if the audience only sees a character at a particular point in their life, Ratnam ensures his creative team understands their backstory.
“These nuances help in adding an accessory or in the way a dupatta is worn — whether their upbringing was conservative or modern.” She explains that while that may not be part of the screenplay, the magic lies in the details.
For Ponniyin Selvan, Lakhani’s job was creatively rich, yet logistically gruelling. “It’s the only film of Mani sir’s where the characters were already defined for us, because of the novel. So, the challenge was to make them Mani Ratnam’s characters. How would his Nandini look?” A hundred look tests later, they found the answers. “We investigated the fabrics and textiles used at the time. We may have taken some liberties, but there’s truth to it. Mani sir held the reins — he pulled us back whenever we went too far.” That process, she adds, was deeply collaborative — across make-up, hair and jewellery design.
The process began in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, where Lakhani spent time among ancient temples and generational weavers, studying sculpture, motifs and textile history. “It was the introduction to that world before I knew the characters or story. Mani sir sent me there to study their art. He always asks us to study a specific form of art for each of his films; it’s the most beautiful part of the process.”
When asked to compare Mani Ratnam with other directors she’s worked with — like Rajkumar Hirani and Karan Johar — Lakhani says each has their own distinct language, and they’re all champions of their own genre. “While Mani sir believes in rawness and staying true to the character, Karan Johar wants it to be more cinematic. He plays with fashion and romance. Raju sir doesn’t want costumes to take the foreground; he wants them to be a second skin for the character.”
Having worked extensively in both Bollywood and South Indian industries, Lakhani sees the differences more in approach than substance. “The nature of the storytelling remains the same. But we do begin shooting a Mani Ratnam film much earlier than a Hindi film. The difference lies in what the audience wants.”
In recent years, the costume designer has also taken on celebrity styling — marking a shift in her career. “Costume designing and styling are two different ball games. While costume designing is about building a character from scratch, styling is about understanding someone’s real personality and the image they want to project.” From styling Kiara Advani during the promotions of Shershaah (2021) to working closely with Ranveer Singh and Karan Johar since Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani (2023), Lakhani has navigated this transition with ease.
Still, her heart remains with her mentor. “Mani sir is my guru. Even if I’m working on a different project, I want him to be proud [of me]. I still feel like an assistant every time I step on his set — which comes with the same butterflies, nerves and knots in my stomach.”
And what’s the best piece of advice he’s given her? She smiles. “Keep it real and make it magical.” After all, these are the words she lives by, carrying them forward in every aspect of her life, beyond her intersecting worlds of film and fashion.