Kareena Kapoor Khan wears Bhopal heirlooms for Diwali

Kareena Kapoor Khan wore a beige kaftan, a turban and heirloom jewellery from her husband Saif Ali Khan’s family for Diwali, including a 200-year-old kalgi and an emerald engraved with Ayat-ul-Kursi, according to details shared by stylist Rhea Kapoor. The outfit brought attention to pieces linked to the former royal family of Bhopal and, in one reported instance, prompted criticism online over how the emerald was worn.

Kapoor’s kaftan, designed by Punit Balana, featured silver hand embroidery. She paired it with a matching turban carrying the diamond kalgi, along with layered necklaces. The 30-carat emerald, associated with the Begum of Bhopal, was set in another necklace. Rhea Kapoor described the jewellery as heirlooms from Kareena’s own collection that came through Saif Ali Khan’s family.

Deepthi Sasidharan, founder and director of Eka Cultural Resources and Research, described the kalgi’s history in a social-media post. She said its three-feather design reflects the heraldic badge of the Prince of Wales and that the ornament is held together by four rows of pearls. Sasidharan traced its passage from Hamidullah Khan, the last ruling Nawab of Bhopal, through his daughter...