You could see Urvashi on the red carpet, but the chatter had more to do with how she looked than what she was wearing. Her take on an ivory-and-gold saree was a no-brainer for those looking to point out a doppelgänger: Gigi Hadid’s 2023 chikankari from the NMACC launch. Fashion types were quick to call it a gandi copy and let their feeds go to war over it.
It was all in the details. Urvashi came out in an ivory number with a gold border and a blouse that was all about the bling, topped off with some heavy jewellery. Put it side by side with Gigi’s 2023 sari and you can see why it made waves.
The loudest reactions online
The fashion police have their say. Diet Sabya put it out there: “I say URVA, you say … sheeeee err … GIGI???” He called it a Gandi Copy revival. Then Sandeep Khosla waded in with a “Very very very very very GANDI dietji!!!” in the comments, and the fire was lit.
Within hours, comment sections turned into fashion court. The tone ranged from snark to spirited defence, but the consensus leaned toward uncanny resemblance. A sampling of the crowd noise went like this:
– Did she think we wouldnt notice?
– First Indian woman to carry a gamla to Cannes.
– Can AJSK sue???
– How she keeps getting invited year by year?
– This is fashion necromancy, truly.
The accessory that did the most talking
Then there was the arm candy. The sculptural metallic Urvashi was holding down was being compared to a plastic flower pot by some. Others went so far as to call it a thermocol ka gamla, and before you knew it, there was a whole sub-genre of planter memes.
The internet will make a prop the star of the show, and this one was hard to miss. You could be lenient on the outfit, but not when the accessory is upstaging the couture.
Not everyone is piling on
Some would have you believe that’s just how it is in fashion. A fan even told Diet Sabya to back off, saying Urvashi didn’t don the Abu Jani piece, and if you want to call it something, it’s inspiration – and she wore it better than Alia Bhatt. Overlap is part of the game.
But for a lot of people, it was the whole package that was the issue. The colour, the hair, the make-up, the jewels – it was too much of a mirror to Gigi’s big night to be a simple nod.
What made Gigi’s sari moment untouchable
And for good reason. When Gigi did her NMACC walk, it wasn’t just for a pretty picture. She was touting a piece of work: “This Chikankari sari was made in the Lucknow region of India, and took a year to make; each woman who crafted it specializes in a different stitch…” That kind of story puts a look in a league of its own.
Copy, homage, or just great timing?
So when you have an echo of that at a place like Cannes, the scrutiny is going to be with you. The fine line between being inspired and being a copy is well known, but the web doesn’t care for nuance. Sabya’s label held because the resemblance was head-to-toe.
There’s a flip side to the hoo-ha, though. Urvashi knows how to get seen. If you’re making people cringe or defend you, you’re winning in a town like Cannes.
What comes next
We’ll see what she does next. Will she come up with something new, or stick to the high-drama formula? We’ll be here to find out.
In the meantime, the saree is still top of mind. Aditi Rao Hydari and Huma Qureshi have shown you can have a desi moment without the fuss. Urvashi has the most talked-about look of the evening, planter jokes and all.
