Kabali- A misfit?

Was it a misfit? This is what I felt when I saw the costumes of Kabali and others in the flashback part. I might have gone overboard in my thoughts, since I’m not a fashion trend follower. 

From the initial scenes, we see Kabali was imprisoned in 1991, so the flashback time period is roughly 1989 and 1991. I was a 1980’s kid, so I don’t exactly remember the trend then, but with my little first-hand information, I have not seen bell-bottoms in late 1980’s, which might have went off-trend in mid 1980’s. And, so are step-cutting hair style, long collared shirts with large imprints.

To get the sense of the then trend, let’s see some of the 1980’s film.

Although Rajinikanth hairstyle is associated with paratai, his hair was not initially wavy. It was long hair, but had a oily look with a side-swept (vagudu ). During Viduthalai (1986) and Vellaikaran (1986) the hair went colored and wavy, still with side-swept. In Oorkavalan (1987) and Manithan (1987) the front portion (Crown?) went upwards (thuki sevuradu). Guru Sishyan (1988) was a complete make over; he got that trademark “M” in the front, which he was maintaining till Padayappa (1999), then moved to wigs. Let us check with Kamal Haasan, his last film with the step-cutting hairstyle was Varumaiyim Niram Sigappu (1980), after this he changed to a style, what was then known as “disco”. He sported the disco until 1987 (Per Sollum Pillai & Nayagan). 

So 1989’s Kabali and his associate’s hairstyle is a misfit (Enna oru kandupidippu).

Now the dress, the bells, long collars, large print shirts went off-trend in early 1980’s. During Adutha Varisu and Thai Veedu (1983) period, it was parallel straight fit pants, rather than bells. As years went by, the pants became much tighter and skin fit (Aboorva Sagodarargal – 1989). A brief period of baggy pant was trended in few Rajanikanth films (Raja Chinna Roja & Mappillai) in late 1980’s.

OK, now the Kabali shown in the flashback is not 1990’s, but early 1980’s.

Your mind voice- Aduku enna ipo.