To celebrate inclusivity and pride month, celebrity designer duo Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla presents The Satrangi Soiree — a celebration of the myriad colours of love in all its glory. An inclusive short film featuring prominent and proud personalities of the LGBTQIA+ and supporters of the community.
The short film stars couple Sonali Bendre and Goldie Behl, famed drag queen/activist Sushant Divgikar, writer-director Mozez Singh, journalist Namrata Zakaria, celebrity stylist Mohit Rai & Editor Rahul Gangwani, celebrity make-up artist Daniel Bauer & his partner Tyrone, Gaurav Batra, Village Influencer Neel Ranaut, Inder & Ashish, Pooja & Archana, Nitin Baranwal, Nikita and Sayantika, Navya Singh, Siya and Allwyn Fernandes who honour Pride with utmost panache. Directed by Siddharth Jain and photographed by Rohan Pingle, the campaign celebrates the art of being oneself with the drama, detail and exaggeration that is so delightfully evident in everything created by Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla.
Talking about the inspiration behind Satrangi, Abu Sandeep says, “Every year, we make a heartfelt line for Pride Month. Satrangi is a mellifluous Hindi/Urdu synonym for rainbow colours, which also represents Pride. The iridescent concept felt like a fitting homage to the community and that’s how the campaign came to be. We connected with friends and popular advocates of the LGBTQI+ community. Bringing everyone on board was not difficult as the cause is close to us all. Fashion is selfexpression. It’s making a statement without words. It’s the way you carry yourself to declare that ‘this is who I am’. It’s how you reveal your taste and identity. It’s never just clothing, but a glamorous extension of your personality.”
For the entire team it was an absolute party! “Much of the footage was spontaneously captured as everyone was mingling and laughing even offscreen. We have featured straight couples, too. Because it’s all about inclusivity and always will be,” says the duo. The garments featured are from their couture brand Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla and also, their pret label, Gulabo. “We have paired pride colours over solid canvases of black and white. Every silhouette tells a story. Some are dramatic while others are minimal, just like individual preferences. We have expressed our Satrangi concept through buttons, embroidery, beads, striped collars and many more details because fashion is our most beloved language,” he explains.
For the last couple of years, every year they come up with beautiful short films. “We are in love with making films! Because of Covid-19, we found ourselves going beyond the fashion show format and embracing filmmaking as a medium for creative releases. We believe the concepts have always lived in us and they appear at the forefront of our minds when the moment is right. More than shortlisting, we’d call it an undeniable burst of inspiration where a concept comes calling and we know it’s time to make it happen,”says Abu Sandeep.
According to the ace designers, their decades-long journey has been through a roller-coaster and they are still riding one. “But what remains consistent is our gratitude, inspiration and faith that no matter what - the best is yet to come. Like always, we want to bring our imagination to reality. To be the finest we can be, weave dreams with threads and go beyond couture into whatever beckons our creativity,” they conclude.