Five Bollywood outfits that could sell better than Modi's suit

The monogrammed "Modi suit" is making news again, this time for being sold during a three-day auction. And while the controversy and headlines over it are pretty much valid - perhaps no serving head of state has auctioned a clothing item before - it does beg another question: its calling card being its loudness, how have equally or more over-the-top clothes, as seen in Bollywood films and etched on the nation's memory, managed to escape going under the hammer?

From Madonna's performance clothes to the hats of British royals and couture of the late Diana, to Marilyn Monroe's billowing dress in The Seven Year Itch which sold for more than $5.6 million, auctioning iconic clothes is the norm across the world.

And while Bollywood actresses are reported to give personal clothes items up for sale to benefit charity, why has no studio or celebrity done the same for iconic Bollywood onscreen items?

Here's a list of the top five Bollywood clothes item that are certain to have film star fans, movie fanatics, not to mention NRIs, queuing up:

1. Rain dance wet sari "Kaate Nahin Kat Te" number (1987) from Mr India, or Raj Kapoor's wet white sari as seen on Mandakini in Ram Teri Ganga Maili (1985)

The wet blue sari seen on Sridevi is a national treasure, for the rain song number considered a "trendsetter" for onscreen erotism in films to follow. And while Raj Kapoor was the champion of white saris in the rain, somehow the blue sari, while taking the same theme, somehow managed to be as erotic while adding a playfulness, drama and an electric sensuality with the blue. Kajol repeating the trick memorably in the red sari in KKHH (1998) with embroidered blouse is another good option.

2. Anything from Hum Aaapke Hain Kaun! (1994)

Heralding in the East-West fusion fashions of Hindi cinema that were to horrify and fascinate us for the next decade, we have nightdress couture and strange embroidered dresses, along with traditional Indian wear like Madhuri's purple lehenga. NRIs especially would salivate at owning any of it. Salman Khan's baniyan chic is also a winner here, heralding as it did his brand of stud fashion in Bollywood.

3. Jeetendra jumping jack white clothes and shoes ensembles ('80s)

As an under-the-hammer ensemble, it is likely to break the auction record held by Madonna's "Material Girl" dresses.

4. Anything by Govinda ('90s)

The Virar star was a path-breaker in the manner in which he made small town cool become fashionable, simply by its unapologetic, in your face confidence. The gaudy printed shirts, all colours of the rainbow clashing, the loud scarves and the dark glasses - simply priceless, and an auctioneer's delight.

5. Big ticket item numbers

From Madhuri's "Choli ke peeche kya hai" to Kimi Katkar's red dress signifying seductress in "Jumma chumma de de", to Raveena Tandon's weird-chic dress creation in "Tu cheez badi hai", to Aishwarya's "Karja re" low ghagra with an embroidered short choli - worn boldly without chunni - are all instantly recognisable items that are guaranteed to cause a stampede at a world auction.