Archive · 7 Aug 2026
Celebrities Add Spice to Handwoven Textiles on National Handloom Day
Once a year, India celebrates National Handloom Day.
Handloom clothes are made by hand, not by big machines.
Skilled weavers spend a lot of time creating them.
The designs and patterns are part of a very old tradition.
Some famous movie stars wore special handmade saris for this day.
A sari is a long piece of cloth that ladies wrap around their bodies.
Each actress wore a different kind of handloom sari.
Some were made of silk, and some had beautiful patterns printed on them.
The stars wanted to show that handmade clothes are beautiful and special.
Wearing these saris helps keep the weavers' art alive.
The feature celebrates National Handloom Day by spotlighting celebrities wearing handwoven saris that honour India's textile heritage.
Genelia Deshmukh showcased an Ahimsa paithani woven in a rare jamdani-inspired technique by a dwindling community of artisans.
Sreeleela paired an ivory handloom sari with a maroon turtleneck blouse, while Anupama Parameswaran wore a bottle-green mul cotton sari with scalloped borders and gold details.
Rakul Preet Singh styled a classic Kanchipuram silk checks sari with a corset blouse, and Janhvi Kapoor wore a tissue silk sari with a regal kamarbandh.
Ananya Panday wore a vibrant Banarasi silk sari, and Dia Mirza chose a block-printed handloom sari described as 'slow fashion at its finest.'
- Who
- Indian film celebrities Genelia Deshmukh, Sreeleela, Anupama Parameswaran, Rakul Preet Singh, Janhvi Kapoor, Ananya Panday and Dia Mirza.
- What
- Celebrities showcased handwoven sari styles to mark National Handloom Day and celebrate India's handloom heritage.
- When
- On National Handloom Day (the articles do not specify a date).
- Where
- India, whose textile heritage is highlighted through the featured handloom saris.
- Why
- To celebrate the craftsmanship of artisans who keep India's handloom heritage alive and to inspire people to wear handwoven textiles.
- Event
- National Handloom Day
- Celebrities featured
- 7 (Genelia Deshmukh, Sreeleela, Anupama Parameswaran, Rakul Preet Singh, Janhvi Kapoor, Ananya Panday, Dia Mirza)
- Genelia Deshmukh's sari
- Ahimsa paithani with jamdani-inspired weave
- Rakul Preet Singh's sari
- Kanchipuram silk checks with corset blouse
- Janhvi Kapoor's sari
- Tissue silk with kamarbandh
- Ananya Panday's sari
- Banarasi silk with pearl tassels
- Dia Mirza's sari
- Block-printed handloom
- Photographs curated by
- Manisha Kotian/Rediff