Leela, played by Deepika Padukone was a fierce feline. Her character transcended conventions set in stone and her resilience against the dominance of two rival clans pouring out bullets like rain on the vibrant streets of Gujrat. While her undying adamant nature was a continual projection throughout her bittersweet romance with Ram (played by Ranveer Singh), it was Leela’s illustrious dressing that carved each scene to complete Bhansali perfection. Here’s a complete ranking of Leela’s outfits, from least emphatic to most, each serving as templates for the scenarios Leela was set up for.

1. Rendevous in white

An intimate night with Ram suffices with white. It’s simple, incredibly familiar and proves a far cry as a distraction from both lovers. The scene is essentially the closest we’ll see both characters, and white underlies the purity of both coming together.

2. Holi’s magic

The colorful altercation between Ram and her denote their very first meeting amidst a holi uproar. The white striped across the black and red add a bit of softness to her dressing, so as not to take away from her study facial expressions. It is the more subtle of tones that she embodies while she spends her time playfully teasing a smitten Ram.

3.  The escaping maroon

Leela elopes with Ram after things take a turn for the worst, and her contrasting block patterned lehenga with an entirely different blouse mirrors the disarray of where the story has reached. They’re both harrowed by recent events, exhausted and have no plan. As the morning sky looms overhead, the hue-esque balconies of narrowing alleys and towering balconies prove a silhouette to Leela’s attire. The violet is suppressing, and the audience sees that in Leela feeling powerless in a situation beyond her control.

4. The morning after

The first time after Leela was found with Ram sets up a frivolous choice of clothing; she’s broken and cares little for how she looks. Pale colors trickle out the character’s nonchalance at a point where she cannot let go. The yellow connotates hope, while the green is anticipation that her lover will return.

5. A thundering pink

Her love and sincerity for Ram are symbolically shown in her bright pink dressing – she refuses to give into her mother’s enforced proposal, and has her wedding finger cut off. It’s her blushing do that shimmers her dogged loyalty to Ram and her dashing sincerity.

6. Impassioned hope in red

Ram’s arrival at Leela’s household shines through her choice of a crimson red. Although red pops up more often than not, it’s the coupling of the color with a brighter gold that coruscates the character in the song ‘Nagada Sang Dol.’ It’s the color that gives her strength, resilience, and passion to fight for hope upon seeing Ram.

7. Change

She’s adorned herself with more heavy statement pieces as she takes the lead of the household, while her mother is unwell. It’s both an exhilarating and heartbreaking transition of a foolish, immature Leela to a powerful and authoritative one. Her colors are more demure and coy. It’s almost as if she’s ready to become the alpha female of the Saneras.

8. A mistaking death

Her attire plays as an oxymoron to a revelation made to her – Ram is dead. Her surge in responsibilities is evident in her sense of dressing, as we can see. Her pinks, yellows, and greens are all gone. They’ve been swept under the rug – she isn’t the same person she was before anymore. She’s grown up.

9. The summer rooftop white

Her off-white dress perfectly settled the calmness of the night, with a backdrop of fluttering fountains and croaking crickets. The stark opposite of the usual noise that fills Gujrat, this scene was hushed. Her golden bangles tinkled well with the entire suit.

10. The first time we see Leela

It was the most Bhansali moment in the film – where we see both protagonists collide gloriously during a dappled pink and blue holi piece. Her mellow yellow lehenga coupled with a very vintage belt complimented to the zest heavily lingering in the holi air. She was essentially the sunshine that catalyzed the jashan throughout the scene; the subtle sequins and mirror embellishments only enhanced that amber.

11. And the last time we see her

She’s back to her old self, stripped entirely of all armor. She’s the same Leela Ram fell in love with. Her usual contrasting colors make a final reappearance before the unfortunate death of both protagonists. Her final black and red prove as the final swan song. Both unarguably the boldest colors in the palette, the menacing and aggressive zest is evident.

What do you think of Leela’s dressing in the film?