Phalke, Baahubali to KJo: Raja Ravi Varma's legacy lives on in Indian cinema
Karan Johar's Met Gala debut in a Manish Malhotra ensemble drew directly from Raja Ravi Varma's paintings. The tribute highlighted how the artist's imagery continues to shape Indian cinema, costume design and popular culture.
When Karan Johar walked the red carpet at the Met Gala 2026, his outfit did more than turn heads. Designed by Manish Malhotra, the look drew directly from the work of Raja Ravi Varma. It was a reminder that Indian cinema, fashion and classical art have long been closely linked, even if we do not always notice it.
Raja Ravi Varma has shaped popular culture for over a hundred years. He was among the first artists to paint Indian mythological characters in a way that felt grand but still relatable. By mixing Indian stories with European painting techniques, he created images that people could easily connect with. Over time, his work became the reference point for how many imagined gods, royalty and stories from epics.
This visual language also influenced early Indian cinema. Filmmakers needed a reference point for how their characters should look, and Varma’s paintings provided exactly that.
Raja Ravi Varma’s influence on Phalke
Raja Ravi Varma played an important role in shaping the work of Dadasaheb Phalke. Before becoming a filmmaker, Phalke worked at Varma’s printing press in Mumbai, where he saw how mythological stories were turned into popular mass-produced images. This stayed with him. When Phalke, known as the father of Indian cinema, later made films like Raja Harishchandra and Mohini Bhasmasur, the costumes, poses and overall look clearly reflected the painter's style.
That influence hasn’t really gone away. Even today, many filmmakers go back to that same visual style. Take Sanjay Leela Bhansali, for example. His films often look like paintings. In Devdas, Bajirao Mastani and Padmaavat you see rich colours, dramatic lighting and carefully posed characters that feel close to Varma’s style of work. The overall presentation carry that same sense of detail and drama.
You can see it in mythological and fantasy films too. In Baahubali: The Beginning and Baahubali: The Conclusion, director SS Rajamouli creates a world that feels grand but also familiar. The way the royal characters look and the larger-than-life moments on screen echo a visual style that’s been shaped, maybe partly, by Ravi Varma.
The royal feel, costumes and lighting, shaped by Rama Rajamouli, all carry his touch. The characters of Shivagami and Avanthika, played by Ramya Krishnan and Tamannaah Bhatia, bring to mind the strong, graceful women seen in Varma’s paintings. From the flowing nine-yard sarees to the rich colours and dramatic lighting, the film feels like his art brought alive on screen.
Ravi Varma’s legacy in film fashion and beyond
Fashion, too, has quietly followed the lead. Costume designers in films have long taken cues from his paintings — from the way a sari is draped to the choice of jewellery and fabrics. These details, though often subtle, have helped shape how audiences recognise “period” or “traditional” looks on screen.
This is what made Karan Johar’s Met Gala appearance stand out. By wearing an outfit inspired by specific Ravi Varma paintings, he brought that long-standing influence into clear view. The design translated elements such as drape, light and ornament into a modern form, showing how the painter’s work can still be reimagined today.
The garment referenced paintings including Hamsa Damayanti, Kadambari, Arjuna and Subhadra, and There Comes Papa. Its surface carried hand-painted gold detailing by traditional artisans, applied directly onto the garment like brushwork on a canvas.
Raja Ravi Varma remains relevant because his images are so deeply part of everyday life. His versions of figures like Goddess Lakshmi and Goddess Saraswati are not just paintings, but are the images people instantly recognise. For cinema, which depends so much on visuals, this has been hugely important.
When Bollywood told Ravi Varma’s own story
Interestingly, Bollywood hasn’t just borrowed from Ravi Varma’s style but has also tried to tell his story. Rang Rasiya, starring Randeep Hooda, based on his life, explored both his artistic brilliance and the controversies around his work. Directed by Ketan Mehta, the film explores how Varma’s bold depictions, especially of women, challenged the social norms of his time. It had a delayed release and stirred quite a bit of debate.
His presence has continued in other forms as well.In 2020, Chennai-based photographer G Venket Ram created a calendar that reimagined Ravi Varma’s paintings as photographs. It featured popular names from the South film and dance world, like Shruti Haasan, Samantha Akkineni, Ramya Krishnan, Shobhana, and Lissy Lakshmi.
In many ways, Ravi Varma's work continues to shape how India sees itself, on screen, on stage and even on the red carpet. From early films to contemporary fashion, the connection remains strong, even when it is not always acknowledged.
When Karan Johar walked the red carpet at the Met Gala 2026, his outfit did more than turn heads. Designed by Manish Malhotra, the look drew directly from the work of Raja Ravi Varma. It was a reminder that Indian cinema, fashion and classical art have long been closely linked, even if we do not always notice it.
Raja Ravi Varma has shaped popular culture for over a hundred years. He was among the first artists to paint Indian mythological characters in a way that felt grand but still relatable. By mixing Indian stories with European painting techniques, he created images that people could easily connect with. Over time, his work became the reference point for how many imagined gods, royalty and stories from epics.
This visual language also influenced early Indian cinema. Filmmakers needed a reference point for how their characters should look, and Varma’s paintings provided exactly that.
Raja Ravi Varma’s influence on Phalke
Raja Ravi Varma played an important role in shaping the work of Dadasaheb Phalke. Before becoming a filmmaker, Phalke worked at Varma’s printing press in Mumbai, where he saw how mythological stories were turned into popular mass-produced images. This stayed with him. When Phalke, known as the father of Indian cinema, later made films like Raja Harishchandra and Mohini Bhasmasur, the costumes, poses and overall look clearly reflected the painter's style.
That influence hasn’t really gone away. Even today, many filmmakers go back to that same visual style. Take Sanjay Leela Bhansali, for example. His films often look like paintings. In Devdas, Bajirao Mastani and Padmaavat you see rich colours, dramatic lighting and carefully posed characters that feel close to Varma’s style of work. The overall presentation carry that same sense of detail and drama.
You can see it in mythological and fantasy films too. In Baahubali: The Beginning and Baahubali: The Conclusion, director SS Rajamouli creates a world that feels grand but also familiar. The way the royal characters look and the larger-than-life moments on screen echo a visual style that’s been shaped, maybe partly, by Ravi Varma.
The royal feel, costumes and lighting, shaped by Rama Rajamouli, all carry his touch. The characters of Shivagami and Avanthika, played by Ramya Krishnan and Tamannaah Bhatia, bring to mind the strong, graceful women seen in Varma’s paintings. From the flowing nine-yard sarees to the rich colours and dramatic lighting, the film feels like his art brought alive on screen.
Ravi Varma’s legacy in film fashion and beyond
Fashion, too, has quietly followed the lead. Costume designers in films have long taken cues from his paintings — from the way a sari is draped to the choice of jewellery and fabrics. These details, though often subtle, have helped shape how audiences recognise “period” or “traditional” looks on screen.
This is what made Karan Johar’s Met Gala appearance stand out. By wearing an outfit inspired by specific Ravi Varma paintings, he brought that long-standing influence into clear view. The design translated elements such as drape, light and ornament into a modern form, showing how the painter’s work can still be reimagined today.
The garment referenced paintings including Hamsa Damayanti, Kadambari, Arjuna and Subhadra, and There Comes Papa. Its surface carried hand-painted gold detailing by traditional artisans, applied directly onto the garment like brushwork on a canvas.
Raja Ravi Varma remains relevant because his images are so deeply part of everyday life. His versions of figures like Goddess Lakshmi and Goddess Saraswati are not just paintings, but are the images people instantly recognise. For cinema, which depends so much on visuals, this has been hugely important.
When Bollywood told Ravi Varma’s own story
Interestingly, Bollywood hasn’t just borrowed from Ravi Varma’s style but has also tried to tell his story. Rang Rasiya, starring Randeep Hooda, based on his life, explored both his artistic brilliance and the controversies around his work. Directed by Ketan Mehta, the film explores how Varma’s bold depictions, especially of women, challenged the social norms of his time. It had a delayed release and stirred quite a bit of debate.
His presence has continued in other forms as well.In 2020, Chennai-based photographer G Venket Ram created a calendar that reimagined Ravi Varma’s paintings as photographs. It featured popular names from the South film and dance world, like Shruti Haasan, Samantha Akkineni, Ramya Krishnan, Shobhana, and Lissy Lakshmi.
In many ways, Ravi Varma's work continues to shape how India sees itself, on screen, on stage and even on the red carpet. From early films to contemporary fashion, the connection remains strong, even when it is not always acknowledged.
