Karan Johar's Met Gala wear celebrates Raja Ravi Varma, royal family in TVM shares joy

When Karan Johar stepped onto the global stage of the Met Gala this year, he didn’t just make a fashion statement; he brought a slice of Kerala's art legacy with him. He walked in wearing a vintage jacket swathed in an intricately patterned cape inspired by classics of Raja Ravi Varma like the ‘Damayanti and the Hamsa’.

The Bollywood filmmaker and producer wore the costume titled ‘Framed in Eternity’ and designed by Manish Malhotra. The gala, held in the United States on Monday, followed the theme ‘Fashion is Art’.

Kerala Tourism shared images of the look on social media, captioning them, “Raja Ravi Varma captures spotlight at the Met Gala 2026!”

According to Rama Ravi Varma Thampuran, a descendant of the artist and General Secretary of the Kilimanoor Palace Trust, Ravi Varma’s legacy continues to endure. “Raja Ravi Varma is an artist who does not have death. Recently, his work Yashodha Krishna was sold for ₹167.2 crore. He continues to be celebrated in different ways through different works,” he said.

He added that the family welcomes any work that celebrates the artist, as opposed to those that distort his art.

Highlighting the painter’s wide-ranging influence, Thampuran said his work is deeply connected to fashion, jewellery, Indian cinema and even botanical studies. “In his works, he portrayed women from different regions such as Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh with distinct outfits and jewellery,” he said. “The sarees and jewellery are so rich in colour and detail that designers often draw from his art, both knowingly and unknowingly. “Characters in films, costumes and jewellery used by them, architecture of an era, even the colour of soil and flowers seen on screen are influenced by his art,” he added.

Citing examples, he pointed to a saree inspired by a Ravi Varma painting created by a textile brand, reportedly sold for around ₹50 lakh a few years ago. “This is the same influence that is reflected in what Karan Johar wore,” he said.

He also said jewellery collections at popular brands draw heavily from Ravi Varma’s depiction of women and ornaments. “He painted jewellery differently for different women,” he noted.

Thampuran further said films such as Pazhassi Raja and Baahubali, along with television serials like Ramayana and Mahabharata, have been deeply influenced by Ravi Varma’s visual style. He added that the makers of Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham had acknowledged drawing inspiration from the painter’s works for their female characters.

He also recalled a cultural programme in Muscat, for which he composed the background score, where around 100 participants dressed as figures from Ravi Varma’s paintings. “He is deeply embedded in the cultural and artistic psyche of the people,” he said.

“As long as his art is not distorted or its essence undermined, any recreations are acceptable. In that sense, it is interesting to see people now using AI to bring his works to life,” he said.

Speaking about the artist’s legacy, Thampuran noted that Ravi Varma had set up a printing press in Lonavala using machines imported from Germany, making his art accessible to the common public. 

He added that Ravi Varma later sold the press, and a portion of the proceeds was given to Dadasaheb Phalke. “It took many more years and resources for Phalke to make films, but Raja Harishchandra, made after Ravi Varma’s death, was deeply influenced by his art,” he said.

Meanwhile, fashion designer Stephy Xaviour said the Met Gala is a space where bold and often unconventional designs are showcased globally, sparking widespread discussion each year. She noted that this marked Karan Johar’s Met Gala debut, where he wore a two-layered outfit designed by Manish Malhotra and styled by Eka Lakhani, incorporating elements inspired by Raja Ravi Varma’s paintings.

Referring to an interview, she said Johar had expressed a desire to bring drama, reflective of his cinema, into his outfit. “The outfit is dramatically aesthetic. Designing is art, and art is always deeply embedded in culture. When he got the opportunity, he showcased an artist who is deeply rooted in our culture. This makes the Malayali and the designer in me proud,” she said.

“Fashion is cyclical. I hope more paintings that are part of our culture begin trending in global fashion,” she added. She also noted that stylist Eka Lakhani started off by designing clothes for the Malayalam film Urumi.