Costume designer Neha Bajaj, best known for grounding characters in realism across projects like The Family Man and Guns & Gulaabs, is stepping into markedly new territory with Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups. In an exclusive conversation with Bollywood Hungama, Bajaj opens up about moving away from understated realism to designing a stylised, glamorous cinematic universe—one that introduces striking new looks for Yash, Kiara Advani, and Huma Qureshi.

EXCLUSIVE: Costume Designer Neha Bajaj opens up on reinventing her craft for Toxic: “It took me from realism to a visually charged world”

Speaking about the shift, Bajaj admits Toxic arrived at a pivotal moment in her career. “I’ve largely worked in realism, and this project sits at the opposite end—suave, stylish, and more cinematic,” she says, pointing out how typecasting affects not just actors but technicians as well. “If a costume designer works mostly in realistic zones, those are the projects that keep coming their way. That doesn’t mean we can’t do the other extreme—it’s often just about the opportunities you receive.”

Toxic, directed by Geetu Mohandas, demanded a completely different creative mindset. Bajaj describes the film as glamorous and edgy, not fully rooted in realism but not disconnected from it either. “When I first met Geetu and presented my ideas, it felt personal. I wanted to prove that just because I’ve done one kind of cinema doesn’t mean I can’t do another,” she explains. The director’s confidence in her vision became a turning point, reinforcing Bajaj’s belief that she could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with designers experienced in high-fashion, glamour-driven cinema.

Drawing a clear distinction between her earlier work and Toxic, Bajaj elaborates on her design philosophy. “In realistic cinema, the actor and narrative must speak before the costume. If the clothes draw attention first, the design has gone too far.” With Toxic, however, the approach flipped. The film demanded a visually charged world where costume, production design, art direction, hair, and makeup worked in sync to create a cohesive aesthetic—one the actors haven’t been seen in before.

Describing the film’s tone, Bajaj calls Toxic the polar opposite of The Family Man. “It’s more glamorous, more on-the-face. When I saw Yash in this world, the impression was instantly that of a suave, stylish gangster. That’s the intention—it’s meant to be a visual experience.” Early glimpses, including Yash’s new looks and first appearances of Kiara Advani and Huma Qureshi, hint at the scale and ambition behind the styling.

What excites her most, Bajaj says, is the sheer creative intensity of the project. “Everyone came in with extremely high benchmarks, pushing themselves to do better than their best work so far. Projects like this don’t come often in a costume designer’s life.”

She also emphasises collaboration as key to the film’s visual coherence. While Yash has his own stylist, Bajaj reveals that constant coordination ensured the film never felt visually fragmented. “The film has to look cohesive—it can’t feel like people belong to different worlds.”

As Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups heads towards its release, Neha Bajaj’s work marks a significant evolution—one that signals her readiness to move fluidly between realism and stylised spectacle.

Also Read: Huma Qureshi turns into goth queen Elizabeth for Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups; Geetu Mohandas says, “Casting Elizabeth was the toughest call”