The bindi, placed in the middle of the forehead, has a universal appeal. Many wear a bindi with pride, from paddy field workers to international musical icons like Miley Cyrus. Traditionally worn by Indian women for various reasons — as a symbol of their caste, culture to their marital status, the bindi has today become a fashion accessory. From Bollywood actors like Madhuri Dixit and Shilpa Shetty to Hollywood stars like Madonna and Selena Gomez, the bindi enjoys a fan following across the world. Here are some popular bindi designs sported by Bollywood celebrities that you can pair with your ethnic look.
1. Traditional round bindi
The traditional round bindi is the most common bindi design. Bollywood actor Shilpa Shetty flaunted the simple round bindi design with her otherwise glam look. She wore a traditional block printed lehenga in pink with gota patti detail. She completed her look with stunning vintage silver jewellery.
This bindi design has been widely popular since ancient times. Before today’s sticker bindis became the norm, women would draw this bindi design with vermilion on their foreheads. They are economical, available in many colours and found in almost every woman’s wardrobe.
2. Maharashtrian bindi
Bollywood actor Madhuri Dixit Nene loves flaunting her cultural roots, and this traditional look is one such example. The actor wore a stunning green silk saree that features an orange and golden border. She paired it with a pearl and gold necklace, a Maharashtrian Nath and chandrakor bindi.
The chandrakor bindi is a crescent moon shape bindi design predominantly worn by Maharashtrians. It’s also known as Marathi bindi. This bindi design is typically available in red and black and is mostly adorned during a wedding or traditional functions.
3. Stone-studded round bindi
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan never fails to shell out style goals with her traditional looks. The actor often shares selfies with her daughter Aaradhya Bachchan on Instagram. Although the actor’s full look was hard to catch in this picture, her bindi design surely caught our attention. The former Miss World and her daughter sported a stone-studded round bindi for a religious occasion.
The stone-studded bindi design has gained prominence in the past few decades, especially because of its versatility. These bindis are available in different colours and can be matched with all types of outfits, western, fusion and traditional. Therefore, the bindi design is quite popular with modern women.
4. Fancy bindi
Actor Mandira Bedi often inspires her fans with her fitness videos and her positive outlook on life. However, this time she caught our attention with her bindi design. The actor shared a throwback video that sent her fans and followers on a nostalgia trip. What struck us the most was the fancy bindi design that Mandira adorned.
She wore a long vertical bindi decorated with stones, beads and diamonds. This type of bindi design is commonly known as fancy bindi design because it is available in different styles and shapes.
5. Layered bindi design
Kajol is often seen wearing traditional outfits, be it a silk saree or an oversized kurta. In fact, she pairs many of her traditional looks with a beautiful bindi. The actor once wore a gorgeous saree and matched it with a stunning maroon bindi with golden details.
This type of bindi design is known as a layered bindi design, which is made by combining two or three bindis into one. This type of bindi is popular for making a statement because it amps up the look’s style quotient.