Gone are the days when Hindi films were known for heroes and heroines dancing around trees. The evolution of Bollywood cinema has been tremendous. Actors put in a lot of hard work to mentally and physically get into the skin of characters they need to play. While there is nothing new about actors losing or gaining tremendous amounts of weight when it comes to prepping for a new role, it isn’t always about toning down or beefing up. There have been films in which the actor had to sit patiently through hours of makeup, most often every day before a shot. Prosthetics are not easy to deal with yet actors take on the challenge to do the job well.
Here are some of the most unique makeover transformations in Bollywood:
Amitabh Bachchan – Paa
Amitabh Bachchan played the role of Auro, a child who suffers from a condition called progeria. Artists like Christien Tinsley of The Passion of the Christ fame and Dominie Till of The Lord of the Rings fame worked vigorously to create this look. The movie earned the National Film Award for its make-up skills in 2009.
Rishi Kapoor – Kapoor & Sons
Rishi Kapoor played the role of a 90-year-old grandfather in this film. He had to look much older than his actual age to play the part. Greg Cannom worked as the makeup artist in this one and he made it look completely natural. Cannom has earned an Oscar for his work in Vice at the 91st Academy Awards.
Shah Rukh Khan – Fan
Shah Rukh Khan played a double role in this action thriller and for one of his roles, he underwent a transformation to play an obsessed fan.
His artistic transformation was the magic created by the visionary Greg Cannom – the same artist who worked on Rishi Kapoor’s look in Kapoor & Sons.
Hrithik Roshan – Dhoom 2
Dhoom 2 was a complete package: a stellar cast, comedy, action, intriguing storyline, and full-on entertainment. What made things better was Hrithik’s transformation. From turning into the Queen, an old security guard to a dwarf among others, he pulled off risky robberies and left us spellbound.
The makeup transformation was so on point that we were impressed beyond words. Remember that Greek painting scene, in which he turned into a white statue? You’d be lying if that bit didn’t stun you.
Shabana Azmi – Makdee
Makdee shocked us when it was released. Nobody in their wildest dreams could imagine Shabana Azmi playing such a terrifying role. Makdee was Bollywood’s first-ever comedy horror in which the award-winning actress played an evil witch. Expert makeup skills transformed her into her scary character which convincingly scared the audience.
John Abraham – Romeo Akbar Walter
John Abraham is known for his high-octane action movies. In RAW aka Romeo Akbar Walter, he took on the challenge of playing an old man, relying on jaw-dropping prosthetics which made him look unrecognizable. The makeup was done by Preetisheel Singh.
Lara Dutta – Bell Bottom
Bell Bottom marked the reopening of cinemas after the pandemic. While it has Akshay Kumar in the lead role, it was Lara Dutta who stole the show with her appearance and dialogue delivery. She underwent a massive transformation to look like Indira Gandhi. The audience was left in awe of the perfection that Vikram Gaikwad brought in to create the look.
(Featured Image Credits: Instagram)
