Alia Bhatt's MET Gala look is the talk of the town. The actor returned at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City in a floral saree that was hand-embroidered with semi-precious stones, glass beads and silk floss. Soon, pictures of Alia's saree went viral on social media, where fans praised the details of the creation. Eagle-eyed fans also noticed that Alia also had a ‘kaala teeka’ (black mark) just behind her left ear.

A ‘kaala teeka’ is a small mark of kaajal which is put to ward off the evil eye, often when a person sets their foot outside home. Mostly, mothers smear kajal off their eyes and apply it on the back of their child's ear to keep them safe when they look particularly beautiful on special occasions.

Fan reactions

Alia's kaala teeka caught the attention of many fans on social media. One fan commented, “That kaala teeka behind her ear is sooo Indian because no wonder whole world having eyes on her right now (diamond emoticon).” A second fan commented, "That kaala teeka is so precious I will cry." “Straight out of a fairytale,” wrote a third fan. A comment read, “Puneet (Alia's make-up artist) knows very well how many kaali buri nazar (evil eye) on her so she puts a kaala teeka on her.”

More details

Alia's saree was crafted by 163 artisans, and paid homage to the official dress code for the 2024 Met Gala – The Garden of Time. The actor took to her Instagram to share details about the look, and added, “A journey to the Garden of Time—an homage to art and eternity. Timelessness knows no bounds, and we recognise that things crafted with patience and care can endure forever. As we explored an Indian interpretation of this universal theme, the outfit seemed to take on a life of its own."

"It has taken a collective effort of 163 dedicated individuals, including master craftspeople, embroiderers, artists, and dyers, investing a total of 1965-man hours to create this ethereal saree. As I wear this outfit, I feel incredibly grateful to embody this exquisite creation, a testament to boundless love and painstaking effort," she added.

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