India, Sept. 23 -- Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, the Canadian actor of Sri Lankan descent and Tamil heritage , made a recent appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show with American comedian and actor Hasan Minhaj, in a Madras check dress with a modern touch. The eye-catching mini dress with a structured corset bodice, a sweetheart neckline and voluminous box-pleated skirt, is designed by Chennai-based designer Ashwin Thiyagarajan.

The designer's September 22 Instagram post about the dress has drawn over 500k views, bringing attention to its striking use of Tamil Nadu's traditional Paalum Pazhamum Kattam, a checked pattern featuring warm shades of orange, ochre, green, maroon and red.

"The Paalum Pazhamum checked saree is a Tamil household staple. ...