Fawad Khan, with his chiseled features and sophisticated demeanour, is quite obviously Pakistan’s favourite eye candy but his eccentric and equally hilarious new avatar, Oochi, has gone down just as well with his fans.
Costumes are an integral part of every character and designer/stylist Mariam Azmi has been working hard to define Oochi as well as Jackie Chan in the upcoming film, Kung Fu Yoga.
Fawad Khan, with his chiseled features and sophisticated demeanour, is quite obviously Pakistan’s favourite eye candy but his eccentric and equally hilarious new avatar, Oochi, has gone down just as well with his fans. The curly-haired, dimwit became a viral sensation, almost overnight, but not many people know of the thought that went into sketching his entire look. From the shaded aviators to the Manchester United jacket, every aspect of his personality was put together so cohesively that the advertisement’s storyline would resonate with the masses as well as the cool, young chip-eating youth. This was made possible by costume designer/stylist Mariam Azmi, who recently flew to Dubai to assist in curating character looks for Jackie Chan’s upcoming film Kung Fu Yoga, also starring Bollywood actor Sonu Sood. That’s quite a feat!
Mariam Azmi with Jackie Chan on the sets of Kung Fu Yoga in Dubai.
"Being part of Kung Fu Yoga was amazing as well as demanding, as this was an action film and so outfits would easily wear out; new characters were constantly being added and I had to be on my toes, prepared for any kind of wardrobe situation,” Azmi shared her experience with Instep. “I had an added advantage because I knew both Urdu and English which meant I could easily communicate with all the tailors as well as with the Dubai-based actors, who were hired for that particular schedule. But it was also a lot of work; almost 17 to 18 hours a day for a month and a half. It’s a tough job being part of a film. Getting up at 3 in the morning, running around places, working with tailors overnight, communicating with an international crew on the sets. It does drive you crazy but it’s all worth it in the end. ”
Azmi began her career as an actress, approximately eight years ago, until she started getting more involved in developing a character’s wardrobe and look. Production houses started approaching her for styling and a couple of assignments later she found herself pursuing a career that people in Pakistan were hardly accustomed to. From there on, most of Azmi’s time was spent watching international movies, reading about costume designing, sketching looks and remaining up to date with the changing dynamics of the field as member of the Costume Designers’ Guild. She has so far worked for various commercials, television serials, theatre plays as well as films including Seedlings, Good Morning Karachi, Operation 021 and Karachi Se Lahore. But the going hasn’t been easy for Azmi, who has only recently managed to take such big strides in her career.
“People aren’t as receptive to the idea here in Pakistan. Some appreciate it and some simply don’t understand it. There have been times when actors have said that ‘oh we don’t want to wear this’ and that does a lot to your ego but then you either try and explain it to them or just back off,” Azmi said. “It’s been 70 years and we just have two or three costume designers in the industry. What actors and directors need to do is believe in our vision, give us a chance to create and redefine characters and just focus on their job. If there is a budget for the cameraman and a budget for the DOP then there should also be a budget for a costume designer because clothes and how a character is being presented on screen matter. That is the only way the industry will move forward and I do feel that people will eventually start understanding the purpose of this field more.”
The designer is the brains behind Fawad’s new avatar, Oochi, in a latest commercial for a local chips brand.
Even in tough times, however, Azmi did not take the speedy social networking route and opted for a slow and steady approach. “I don’t call anybody. Why should I? I am not bum-chumps with any actors or directors and I don’t need to do it either because my work should speak for myself. If you look at my portfolio and my website, you’ll know how much effort I put into my work,” Azmi added.
For a job as meticulous as costume designing that requires outfits, gestures and movements to create powerful moments in a sequence, Azmi has to be confident and adept. “Time management and quick decision-making are prerequisites for this job. You can’t let your anxieties creep in and you need to have a command over your skill set,” Azmi continued explaining. “Every kind of collar says something different about a person. A thinner collar would be used to depict a submissive person whereas a thicker, slightly longer one may be seen sported by a more arrogant character. Costume designing is based around incorporating subliminal messages. From the length of the sleeves to the kind of buttons used in a shirt, everything has a back-story to tell about the character and one should be well-aware of it.”
Coming back to her recent stint with Oochi, Azmi revealed that it was more her idea to add a comical aspect to the character. “Initially they were thinking along the lines of portraying Fawad as a normal, regular guy but I was like why not create a Mr. Bean sort of a character? Thankfully Fawad liked it and it was taken up by the agency,” Azmi informed.
Right now the young stylist is aiming for bigger dreams. She wants to focus on establishing an international career be it anywhere in the world. Money is not what’s driving her, passion is and she’s ready to take up whatever task the world of costume designing wants to throw at her. Given her latest collaboration with Kung Fu Yoga’s production team, we assume that she isn’t far from fulfilling her dream.
