Actress Swastika Mukherjee continues to honour her late mother Gopa Mukherjee by incorporating her saris into on-screen looks, she said in a social media post on Wednesday. .
The 44-year-old actress recalled that when she started her career with television serials, professional stylists were not commonplace. Instead, actors relied on their own collections and the stock maintained by dressers in the industry.
For Swastika, her mother’s sari collection was her go-to wardrobe. “She had the best collection, and I started wearing her saris right from my early days in television,” she wrote.
Over time, as Swastika developed a personal love for draping saris, she started adding her own saris to the collection.
A significant part of Swastika’s journey has been shaped by her sister, Ajopa Mukherjee, who initially worked in Mumbai before returning to Kolkata and becoming her stylist. “With the treasure trove of saris we had at home, we hardly ever needed to source outfits from elsewhere,” Swastika said.
The sisters share a deep bond rooted in their mother’s influence on their sense of fashion and aesthetics.
“After our mother passed away, it became an obsession for both of us to look like her. It even turned into a little competition—who looks more like Maa?” Swastika confessed.
Swastika’s emotional attachment to her mother’s belongings extends beyond saris. “Now, in every role I play, I make sure to include something that belonged to my mother. It could be a sari, a piece of jewelry, or even an old bindi. That way, she remains a part of my journey.”
Her upcoming film, Durgapur Junction, is yet another example of this heartfelt tribute. Swastika shared how she searched her mother’s wardrobe and found an old, intricately woven sari that had never been worn before.
“I found this beautiful sari with delicate threadwork, and I had never worn it before. I knew immediately that I had to wear it in my film,” she said.
Swastika teams up with Vikram Chatterjee for Durgapur Junction, set to release in theatres on April 25.