Aditi Rao Hydari pays tribute to the Wanaparthy saree that inspired her Sabyasachi wedding ensemble

Aditi Rao Hydari’s wedding with actor Siddharth may not have been an extravagant affair, but it certainly reflected her love and pride for her culture and heritage. In a new post on Instagram, she revealed how her ivory ensemble, designed by none other than Sabyasachi, was inspired by the Wanaparthy saree.

The actress expressed her love and deep connection to the royal drape in the caption: “The revival of the Wanaparthy saree! A saree that has multicultural roots, much like me! My grandfather, Raja J Rameshwar Rao, worked towards its revival as a young man. He encouraged the weavers, ordered for the family from them, and had old designs sent to them to relearn and recreate.”

While Aditi’s grandfather, who was also the Raja of Wanaparthy, took it upon himself to keep the tradition and art form alive, the special saree holds a family legacy.

“His ancestors, the art-loving rulers of Wanaparthy, had brought Paithani weavers to settle in their kingdom, and the saree and weaving then adapted to the region as it evolved,” she added.

Continuing the tale, Aditi revealed, “I remember one specific saree that my grandmother, mother, and her sisters have —  inspired by a famous Ravi Varma painting —  the black asharfi saree.” Such has been the impact of this rich legacy that she shared, “Now I realise that I was inspired by that saree too, firmly locked and sealed in my subconscious mind. It all emerged when the genius Sabyasachi was creating the half saree for Siddharth and my wedding at the Wanaparthy temple!”