Gone are the days for Bollywood and other film industries, where one could spray white paint on an actor’s hair to make them look aged. Or put a blood-like stain on the forehead to make it look like a wound. No matter what, these makeup tricks did not make them look real.
Over the years, filmmaking has evolved, and so has the make-up. Prosthetic Makeup has taken the front seat and shouldered the responsibility of bringing life to the characters and to make it look real. Even a few years back, filmmakers had limited possibilities to explore with makeup. But prosthetic makeup has opened up new avenues for filmmakers to bring the characters close to their visualization. Today, Prosthetic makeup is the most in-demand skill in the entertainment industry.
5 Times when filmmakers made the most of Prosthetic Makeup
- Amitabh Bachchan’s Paa – Amitabh Bachchan played the role of a 12-year-old Auro in the film Paa. The character in the film was diagnosed with a rare disease called Progeria. This brilliant transformation of Mr. Amitabh won the National Award for Best Makeup in the year 2009.
- Shah Rukh Khan’s Fan – Shah Rukh Khan altered his looks to play the role of an obsessed fan. He had to look younger and have a child-like face. Prosthetic make-up did just that and Shah Rukh looked very different in the film.
- Deepika Padukone’s Chhapaak – In her recent film, Deepika Padukone played the role of an acid victim. She had to get a prosthetic makeup done with acid burns on her face. This look absolutely transformed her into a real-life character she was playing.
- Kamal Hassan in Chachi 420 – Kamal Hassan played the role of a middle-aged woman in the film Chachi 420. He had to undergo a lot of transformation both in terms of his face and his physique. Prosthetic makeup artists accomplished the transformation beyond recognition.
- Vikram’s I – Vikram played a character where he had to look deformed and monstrous. This evil and effective transformation of the protagonist was well appreciated across film fraternity and audience.
More than Makeup
Though prosthetics is considered as makeup, it is more than makeup. Prosthetic makeup is an art in itself. Prosthetic designing is much more than makeup, as it includes designing a character’s getup, making life-like masks and wounds, bringing life to the fantasy characters, etc. From deformed faces to bucked teeth and pregnant belly, prosthetic makeup artists create anything and everything. They use techniques such as sculpting, molding, and casting to create advanced cosmetic effects for the actors to carry on their role with ease. They use prosthetic products like wax, silicon, latex, etc.
Prosthetic Makeup Artists are most in-demand in the Entertainment Industry
Right from Kamal Hassan look in Chachi 420, to Amitabh Bachchan’s look in Paa and now Deepika Padukone’s look in Chhapaak, all are done by Prosthetic Makeup artists from the West. In India, we mostly depend on foreign talent for prosthetic makeup. However, some Indian Prosthetic makeup artists proved their skill, like Preetisheel Singh, who designed Ranveer Singh’s look in Padmaavat and Zuby Johal who worked for the film Gangs of Wasseypur. There are a few others who designed brilliant prosthetic makeups and won several awards along with National Awards.
Many have recognized the kind of quality Indian artists are producing. Filmmakers and producers are opening up to Indian Prosthetic makeup artists to design some amazing looks in the films. Indian prosthetic makeup artists have proved that they deliver some of the best works in just half the cost that any foreigner would charge.
Related Article: MESC’s Creative Warriors program builds a talent pool for the Media and Entertainment industry – Read more: https://nationalskillsnetwork.in/mescs-creative-warriors-program-builds-a-talent-pool-for-the-media-and-entertainment-industry/
Prosthetic Makeup in India has come so far and has a long way to go. With many opportunities out there, there is a need for the talented and right skilled youth in the field of prosthetic makeup. MESC (Media and Entertainment Skills Council) has designed some courses and curriculum on Makeup and Prosthetics, in tune with the current trends. MESC prescribed Qualification Packs (QPs) as per National Occupation Standards (NOS). Doing a short-term or a long-term course in makeup and prosthetics and getting certified as per standards recognized by MESC, can give one an advantage over others while aspiring for a job in the film and entertainment field.
Prosthetic makeup is here to stay. It requires a number of artists working in the field of prosthetic makeup. Creative individuals along with the right skillset and training are easily absorbed into various job roles and are paid handsomely. The profession of a prosthetic makeup artist not only provides you with an interesting career option but also gives an opportunity to showcase your artistic talent along with displaying your entrepreneurial spirit.
