This Indian Bride Skied Down The French Alps In A Red Lehenga, And Zipped Into Everyone’s Hearts

She made for a striking picture–her bold, lehenga swishing through the powdery-white French Alps–as she smoothly swerved her way down the slopes. She looked cool, confident and charming, making the case for her culture and her roots through what was meant to be a pre-wedding video before her nuptials to business development strategist, Cheran Nathan. That’s Shivangi Kumra for you, Indian born, desi girl in London, who took to the icy inclines to make her point–why there needs to be more representation for South East Asians in international adventure sport, a lack that she felt while growing up.

The video of her shoot posted on Instagram shot to 22K likes in no time (and counting) with hundreds of people lauding her, and one even saying they wanted their husband to do the same! It gave Bombay Mami’s ‘Fire in Delhi’ video vibes sure, but Shivangi sets it straight: “I definitely loved the Bombay Mami video so that was definitely an inspiration, but this whole idea and execution was very spontaneous!”
In an exclusive tete-a-tete from London with Manifest, this renewable energy investment executive gets into what went down for the video, how tough it was to ski with the heavy lehenga and her little nuggets of advice…

Manifest (M): Your video has gone viral and how! What’s the one thought that ran through your mind when you saw the reaction? Was it happiness, feeling like you hit the right point?
Shivangi Kumra (SK): I definitely was not expecting such a reaction! I had just created a page for wedding guests to tell our story and to post pictures from the religious wedding we just had, but it was amazing and so cool to see everyone liking the video I put out. Was super happy to see how it resonated, not just the video, but also with the message. It was really cool to be able to show that moment.   

(M): Was the idea to do something unconventional like this at a pre-wedding shoot yours, also was it something you wanted to do for a while?
(SK): Yes, it was my idea to do the ski shoot and do it unconventionally. It was such a last-minute idea as well. The previous year too, we had done a little photo shoot for some of my friends who had just got engaged. They had a white wedding and wore a veil but didn’t do the whole wedding dress. It was an inspiration for sure.
But for me, I love dressing up. We’ve also been doing a few ski trips over the years in different costumes so there’s a few pictures of me in inflatables etc, so we’ve done skiing in costume before, but it was the first time I did this in lehenga. It was fun.

(M): Your pre-wedding photo shoot seems to be a metaphor for being strong and celebrating who you are. We’d love to know more.
(SK): Yes, that is true! I wanted to feel my best self for these pictures that are adventurous, romantic, full of energy and sometimes a lil extra. I’ve grown up in so many different places, but still feeling very Indian, culturally. and in my soul. I’m definitely a Bollywood girl and I think ‘Kal Ho Naa Ho’ really shaped me as a kid, wanting to make the most out of life. My parents moved to Bahrain knowing no one in the country and made so many sacrifices for me and my brother. It was the same for me too, when I moved to the UK at the age of 17 to join university and not knowing anyone. So, I really feel like I owe it to my parents and grandparents and that 17-year-old self to have grasped every opportunity to live my best life.

During the shoot, I really felt like I was living my red lehenga bridal Bollywood dream! I also did all the hair and makeup by myself for it. We had to get there as soon as the slopes opened to avoid the crowds so even our friends were not awake to help. So, the whole thing was an adventure!
After this shoot on the slopes, I showed Cheran the ‘Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai’ videos and I felt like both Sonia, in her sari on the slopes and Raj on his skis, together. Cheran actually tells me he thinks my ideas are crazy, but I always make them happen. In the past I’ve also done other crazy things like I cycled 1000 miles from Cornwall to Scotland.

(M): With the heavy, flowing lehenga, it must have been no mean feat to ski in it for three hours. Give us an idea of the challenges of spending hours in the snow, in traditional attire.
(SK): Honestly, it went better than expected! I literally found the lehenga a day before the trip, so I had no time for alterations, and I even skied with cancan underneath. Somehow, I was lucky to find a perfectly fitting blouse; better than some I have had stitched. Though the lehenga was a bit long, it came to being the perfect height for me, once I had the skis on, so I think it all ended up being pure serendipity. I did fall initially when I started at the top as I couldn’t see much of the ground or skis under the lehenga, but then quickly got the hang of it, since I’ve been skiing for about four years now.

Luckily it was perfect weather–around 12 degrees and super sunny after the best snowfall in 50 years. Plus, I kept my jacket on when we weren’t active and on the lift. The biggest challenge was actually getting on the ski lift as we took up so much space–I felt bad for people who had been waiting in the queue. That said, everyone was so nice and even took pics with us and congratulated us.

(M): This was more than a wedding photo shoot wasn’t it, where you have wanted to create the representation that you rarely saw growing up?
(SK): To some extent yes. It was more representing where I’m from and the values my parents brought me up with– ‘how you do anything that you have set your mind on and how it is your duty to follow your heart and live your best life’! So often, we say we can’t do something because of time or ability or budget, but I really believe you can manifest things if you say them aloud, ask for help and just give them a try. Yes, I know I am in a privileged position to be skiing in France at all, but the photo shoot itself was definitely on a budget, through a photographer and videographer I found through our chalet host and with a lehenga I found on Vinted, gloves borrowed from a friend and jewellery I already had.

(M): You said you wanted to create the representation you rarely saw growing up. What were those earlier years spent abroad, like?
(SK): I’ve definitely had lonely moments of not feeling like I fit in. I resonated culturally more with my Indian friends but felt most of them weren’t up for how I wanted to spend my time and the crazy things I wanted to do, maybe because they hadn’t seen the representation either and hadn’t tried it enough to feel interested in sports. So, I didn’t feel like I belonged on either side. I did a lot of things alone until I found my crowd of other third culture kids and adventurous souls.

But I also think we as Indians have so much zest for life and don’t let obstacles hinder us, but sometimes we may stop ourselves out of fear that we won’t be strong enough. Maybe having some representation will help broaden what’s possible.
For me to do this was mainly to have fun and feel like a bride. I want to say that I don’t think the lehenga is a costume. I love it and I felt that I had more confidence that I could ski in it without it getting dangerous.

(M): The story has really resonated with people across the world–what are some of the things they said/ the reactions from friends and family, too and from your fiancé?

(SK): It’s been amazing to see the response– we got half a million views in just five days from a wedding page with two posts, and most people have left such positive comments that I’m practically floating! Someone even suggested Karan Johar shoot an Indian ‘Frozen’ and casts us (laughs) so I’m definitely manifesting that!

My family and friends have all been very supportive and amazed by the response as well and they want me to keep posting and writing more. It’s also lovely to get DMs from people who want to collaborate or hear more of our story. We will definitely want to keep hearing from everyone as we plan our wedding.

(M): What would you say to young girls who don't see themselves represented in the spaces they love?
(SK): Just go for it, even if you are scared. Once you are there, you will find your people. I have found my best friends when I felt I was living a life truly aligned with what I’m passionate about.
Today, it’s taken me where I want, I work in a field with very few women, especially senior women–in banking and investing in renewable energy, it’s a cause I really care about and just pursued since I was 17. Passion will take you places until community finds you. Also, if your friend wants to do something crazy, join in; be the community too!

(M): When is the wedding and please tell us if you’ve thought up something interesting for it as well?
(SK): We just had the religious wedding in India in Manesar, at a heritage Rajasthani property, so that my nani could attend. It was all about family, culture and fun! Cheran is British-Sri Lankan-Tamil and he’s lived in London and Paris. I’m Hindu-Punjabi and I grew up in Bahrain, Kuwait and studied in London and Berkeley. So, we wanted to combine our experiences and cultures – our sangeet was Arabic, the haldi was Tamilian designed to look like our dadi and appaamma’s gardens as they both recently passed. And wedding was Punjabi with European contemporary decor. I also designed my own wedding lehenga from my mom’s wedding zari saree gifted by my late grandmother. We will also be doing our civil ceremony in London later this year.

Cheran and I both wanted to build a life that grew us, kept us close to family and also felt fun and adventurous. I guess we are on our journey to build that now!