India, May 8 -- The centuries-old handwoven silk from Maharashtra has dressed queens, served as actual currency and stood strong against industrialisation. Now, as Alia Bhatt steps into a custom Paithani sari by Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, the question isn't why this textile, it's why it ever faded from the spotlight.

Her recent appearance in a custom Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla ensemble at the World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025 was a tribute to India's handloom legacy. Draped in a stunning Paithani sari woven by the master artisans of Tulsi Weaves in Yeola, Maharashtra, Alia Bhatt wore a piece of history. The sari, which took 75 painstaking days to create, was styled in the traditional Nauvari drape, a nod to the textile's...