'Art has no boundaries,' Ali Xeeshan on designing wedding dress for Indian actress Swara Bhasker

Renowned Pakistani designer Ali Xeeshan recently collaborated with Indian actress Swara Bhasker to design the outfit for her wedding reception in Bareilly. The actress took to Twitter to express her gratitude, revealing that the designer had sent the dress all the way from Lahore to Bareilly via Dubai, Bombay, and New Delhi.

Xeeshan spoke about the collaboration, emphasizing that art has no boundaries and that people from both India and Pakistan share the same DNA. Bhasker, who has acted in several Bollywood hits such as Raanjhanaa, Tanu Weds Manu, and Veere Di Wedding, tied the knot with Indian politician Fahad Ahmad last month. The cross-border collaboration highlights the power of art to bring people together and bridge divides.

My Walima outfit came all the way from Lahore via Dubai- Bombay-Delhi finally to Bareilly! I’ve long marvelled at the talent of #AliXeeshan #AliXeeshanTheatreStudio

When I called him with an idea of wearing his work @ Walima, his warmth & generosity made me admire the person. 1/n pic.twitter.com/pc9vPop70U

— Swara Bhasker (@ReallySwara) March 21, 2023

Ali Xeeshan recently spoke about their collaboration, saying that art has no boundaries and the people of India and Pakistan "share the same DNA". Bhasker tied the knot with Indian politician Fahad Ahmad last month, and Xeeshan designed her dress for the Valima reception in the Indian city of Bareilly. Bhasker praised Xeeshan's talent and generosity, adding that they "connected" easily.

Xeeshan said that he has many Sikh, Muslim, and Hindu clients based in Canada and other parts of the world. He believes that cultural exchanges between Pakistan and India have been cut off due to political reasons, but he hopes that this will change soon. He thinks art has no boundaries and that the world has become smaller because of the internet and social media.

Bhasker's ivory gold outfit was named Rajkumari, which Xeeshan said has old-school charm and grandeur. The dress was hand-made, and Xeeshan's team had to bring their most senior artisans on board to make it. The dress was 70% ready when Bhasker placed her order, and it took about a month to finalize. Xeeshan said that the dress was designed and curated to reflect Bhasker's personality, and he hoped it would become an heirloom piece.

Inside Swara and Fahad's glittering wedding reception