For Kritika Kamra, Diamonds Are Part Of A Life Built To Last
Actor, entrepreneur, and founder Kritika Kamra reflects on building a slow-craft label with her mother, and finding beauty in conscious luxury—from handwoven silks to natural diamond jewellery.
JEWELLERY H AJOOMAL FINE JEWELLERY
Most people know Kritika Kamra from the screen — a career spanning over a decade, from the beloved Kitani Mohabbat Hai (2009) to the gritty streets of Bambai Meri Jaan (2023), and most recently the critically acclaimed Gyaarah Gyaarah (2024) and Matka King (2026). Roles that have stayed with audiences long after the credits rolled. But spend an afternoon with her and another story emerges. One about fabric, about heritage, about a mother and daughter and the brand they are building together — Cinnabar, a celebration of Chanderi sarees that began as an act of love and grew into something far larger than either of them anticipated.
Through Cinnabar, Kritika Kamra has developed a deeper appreciation for craftsmanship—not just in the textiles she helps create, but in the way she approaches everything she chooses to bring into her life. Whether it’s a handwoven Chanderi sari, thoughtfully designed furniture, or natural diamond jewellery, she finds herself increasingly drawn to pieces that value quality over quantity; objects made with care, destined to gather meaning over time.
Meet the Author
- Devki Bhatt is a pharmacist, fashion stylist, and writer whose multidisciplinary career spans healthcare, editorial, and fashion.
- She has styled celebrities including Taapsee Pannu, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, and Radhika Apte, and contributes fashion features to Vogue India.
It’s a philosophy that feels especially fitting in this chapter of her life. Fresh from her wedding earlier this year, Kamra speaks with an ease that comes from knowing exactly what she values: family, tradition, thoughtful design, and the quiet beauty of choosing things meant to last. It seems only fitting to begin with the first love that quietly shaped everything that came after.
Fashion was your first creative language — long before acting. How much of that student at a fashion school still shows up today?
She never really left, honestly. NIFT (National Institute of Fashion Technology) gave me a way of seeing the world that I don’t think you can unlearn. The construction of something, the intention behind a fabric, the story a textile carries — I bring all of that into everything I do. The roles I choose, the way I dress, the way I built Cinnabar. It all comes from the same place.
This March, you wore Cinnabar at your wedding. What made that moment so special?
It still feels surreal, honestly. It started as a way to give my mother something to pour her love for Chanderi into — and then slowly it became ours, and then something neither of us had planned for. To wear it on my wedding day felt like everything had come full circle. Like the brand wasn’t just something I had made. It was something that had also made me.
This year has been quite the chapter — a wedding, a new home, a new life. How has that shift changed the way you think about the things you choose to keep close?
I think I’ve become more intentional, if that’s even possible. When your life changes that significantly, you start to think about what actually matters. What you carry forward and what you leave behind. I find myself drawn to things with meaning now more than ever — a piece of natural diamond jewellery that tells a story, a saree that was made by hand, a memory you can hold. These are the things that feel worth keeping. The rest is just noise.
JEWELLERY VAK JEWELS DRESS LOVEBIRDS
You wore a vintage Galliano at your reception. There’s something about choosing vintage that speaks to a very specific sensibility. What draws you to things with a history?
I’ve always been more interested in the story behind something than the object itself. A vintage Galliano carries decades of craft, of vision, of someone’s hands and someone’s imagination. When I wear a garment like that I feel connected to something larger than the moment. I think that’s what draws me to natural diamonds too — they are the ultimate vintage, aren’t they? Formed over billions of years. Every single one with its own history. That, to me, is the most beautiful thing you can wear.
You mentioned that one of your earliest diamond memories involves your mother. What makes that moment so special when you look back on it today?
I started working really young, so my mother always looked after my finances and made sure I was saving. When it finally felt like the right time to celebrate, we went shopping together, and I bought my first pair of solitaire earrings and a real diamond necklace. It’s one of those memories that’s stayed with me—not because of the jewellery itself, but because of who I shared it with. Whenever I think of diamonds, I think of my mum first.
JEWELLERY H AJOOMAL FINE JEWELLERY DRESS REVOLVE VIA NYKAAFASHIONS GLOVES THE SOLO GIRL FOOTWEAR AQUAZURRA
Every fashion lover has a wishlist. Which jewellery designers are currently at the top of yours?
Jessica McCormack would definitely be up there—I love how effortlessly she blends modernity with timelessness. Repossi has such a fresh perspective, Cartier is a forever favourite, and Spinelli Kilcollin always surprises me with its contemporary take on fine jewellery. They all have completely different aesthetics, but what they share is an appreciation for beautiful design and natural diamonds that feel like they’ll stay with you for a lifetime.
JEWELLERY A S MOTIWALA FINE JEWELLERY
If you could only wear one piece of diamond jewellery for the rest of your life, what would it be?
A solitaire, definitely. I’d always rather have one really beautiful piece than lots of jewellery I don’t wear. There’s something so timeless about a solitaire—it feels like the kind of piece you keep for life.
As the afternoon draws to a close, one thing feels unmistakably clear: for Kritika Kamra, a natural diamond is much like everything else she chooses to surround herself with—crafted with intention, rich in story, and made to endure.
Newsletter