New Delhi: Filmmaker-producer Karan Johar made his Met Gala debut, channeling the grandeur of an Indian maharaja via a custom ensemble by designer Manish Malhotra. The look, titled “Framed in Eternity,” drew deeply from the visual legacy of Raja Ravi Varma, aligning seamlessly with this year’s theme, “Fashion is Art.”
KJO wore tailored black pants with a structured, power-shouldered jacket. The truly eye-catching bit, however, was the nearly six-foot-long floor-length cape. Hand-painted and created over 85 days by a team of more than 80 artisans, the cape stood out for its intricate gold embroidery and vivid, painting-like panels inspired by Varma’s work. It featured classical Indian figures, palace scenes, and rich cultural motifs.
Specific references to some of Varma’s most recognised works could be seen, including Lady with the Peach, Hamsa Damayanti, Kadambari, Arjuna and Subhadra, and There Comes Papa.
But in typical KJO fashion, the grand outfit would be incomplete without the right accessories. He further elevated his look with tinted sunglasses, statement rings and a necklace from his jewellery brand Tyaani, which lent the heritage look a cinematic, modern edge.
Sharing glimpses of his appearance, KJO said that the ensemble reflected how Varma’s art resonated with his own storytelling.
“Raja Ravi Varma felt right because his work does something I’ve always tried to do in cinema. He painted feelings,” the Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998) director captioned his Instagram post.
He credited Malhotra as a long-time creative collaborator who helped translate that vision into couture, adding that wearing the ensemble felt like becoming “a canvas for his art.”
“To bring our Indian culture to the global stage with the vision of couture and gratitude woven together, is an art form in itself which he has mastered. You made me feel like a canvas for your art, thank you!” he added.
Born in 1848 in Kerala, Varma is considered a pioneer of modern Indian painting and one of the most influential artists from the subcontinent. His work has been classified as “art treasure” under India’s Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, and therefore, cannot be exported and only sold to Indian buyers.
Against that backdrop, KJO’s decision to channel an Indian maharaja at the Met Gala 2026 also reads as a calculated cultural statement, presenting an Indian visual language to a global, largely Western or “white gaze” audience.
Additionally, Johar’s attempt to showcase Varma’s legacy at the Met Gala comes weeks after one of Varma’s paintings set a new auction record and became the most expensive Indian artwork ever sold. The painting, Yashoda and Krishna, was sold for Rs 1.67 crore at a Saffronart auction in Delhi. It surpassed the previous record set by MF Husain’s Untitled (Gram Yatra) in 2025.
Also Read: ‘Calendar artist’ to Rs 167 cr sale—how Raja Ravi Varma still defines India’s imagination
Social media weighs in
At the Met Gala 2026, the “naked dress” made a strong comeback. From Gigi Hadid in Miu Miu to Kendall Jenner in GapStudio, celebrities embraced sheer, delicate silhouettes in varied interpretations. Yet, it was Johar who truly dominated the conversation.
His opulent look for the night had the internet hooked, with both fans and critics coming together in rare agreement to praise the filmmaker’s fashion moment.
“Beyond beautiful, eternal. This is the art to die for. Sorry Karan, I am not very fond of you, but you killed it at Met 2026. Beyond this world. This is sacred man. you killed it,” a fan commented on KJO’s Instagram post.
Another wrote, “Now this is something you call art.”
“The first time a man has left me speechless at the Met—unbelievable,” read one comment.
“I absolutely don’t like Karan Johar at all but I’m afraid he is one of the very few men who SERVED in Met Gala today. Have to give credits where it’s due,” read an X post.
Another posted: “I hate to be a Karan Johar supporter but this is actually insane.”
“Not karan johar mogging all the men on that carpet,” wrote one X user.
Malhotra also attended the Met Gala for the second time. His outfit, a classic bandhgala paired with a structured cape, was conceived as a tribute to Mumbai, the city that shaped his journey. Crafted in over 960 hours by more than 50 artisans, the piece featured intricate dori, zardozi, chikankari, and kasab embroidery. It also carried subtle references to Mumbai’s cinematic heritage, along with the signatures of the artisans who brought the design to life.
(Edited by Insha Jalil Waziri)