Amazing makeup Transformation in Bollywood

No doubt Bollywood does come up with some amazing stories and movies. But what makes the movie even realistic is the makeup skills and transformation of the actors. At times they are unrecognizable and that’s the catch behind the films.

There are movies where the actor had to patiently sit during the entire makeup procedure probably everyday before a shoot. Which took them nearly a couple of hours to undergo the whole process. The amount of dedication is absolutely surreal.

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Here are some crucial makeup transformations looks in Bollywood:

1. Amitabh Bachchan – Paa

Amitabh Bachchan played the role of Auro or Paa. A child who suffered from a crucial disease called Progeria. The makeup team included artists like Christien Tinsley (of The Passion of the Christ fame) and Dominie Till (of The Lord of the Rings fame). The makeup look was very difficult to pull off, but it was with it. The movie earned the National Film Award for its make-up skills (2009).

Amitabh Bachchan in Paa
laughingcolours

2. Rajkummar RaoRaabta

Though Raabta didn’t hit off the screens very well and as it was expected to. But Rajkumar’s makeup was done very precisely. He played the role of a 34-year-old man. A makeup team from LA worked on it and honestly, they made him completely unrecognizable. Like even if you look at his character for too long you probably wouldn’t be able to figure out that it’s him. The artist who worked on it was Zuby Johal and he did a fantastic job.

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Rajkummar Rao - Raabta
indiatoday

3. Kamal Haasan – Hindustani (Indian)

Kamal had a dual role in this movie. So obviously makeup should’ve been on point anyway. The film was back in 1996 he had to transform to a 70-year-old for roles. Make-up artists Michael Westmore and Michael Jones worked as makeup artists for their look. It was worth it since Kamal won the National Award for the film later.

Kamal Haasan in Indian
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4. Rishi Kapoor – Kapoor & Sons

Rishi Kapoor played the role o a 90-year-old grandfather in this film. The main aim was to make him look older than he naturally looked because that man aged like fine wine. Greg Cannom worked as the makeup artist here. The makeup was very well.

This family drama starred Rishi Kapoor as a 90-year-old grandfather, and his lovable antics were ably supported by his amazing make-up – that looked completely natural. And it was all because of the efforts of make-up artist Greg Cannom, who coincidentally also won the Oscar for Vice at the 91st Academy Awards.

Rishi Kapoor - Kapoor & Sons
indiatvnews

5. Shah Rukh Khan – Fan

Shah Rukh Khan played a dual role in this action thriller and altered his appearance to play an obsessed fan. While everyone knows SRK is no stranger to playing ‘obsessive’ characters, his artful transformation was all thanks to Greg Cannom – the same artist who worked on Rishi Kapoor’s look in Kapoor & Sons.

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Shah Rukh Khan Fan transformation
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6. Hrithik Roshan – Dhoom 2

The role he pulled off was of an international thief. Which obviously had to do a lot with makeup. He transformed into a thief, an old security guard, an old lady, and a dwarf. Sjaan Gillings showed the magic of this makeup and nailed each and every one of them with absolute perfection.

Hrithik Roshan - Dhoom 2 old man
wionews

7. Kamal Haasan – Chachi 420

The film itself was inspired by the Hollywood film Mrs. Doubtfire. The lead actor had to play the role of a lady, which required a lot of on-point makeup skills to make it look believable. Michael Westmore who won the academy award for his makeup skills did the job with perfection.

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Kamal Haasan - Chachi 420
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8. Shabana Azmi – Makdee

The movie was Bollywood’s first comedy horror. Which did not only require very acting skills but way expertise makeup skills too. Shabana had to transform herself into an evil witch and that was only possible because of Arun Adetya Seal’s magic hands.

Shabana Azmi transformation Makdee
wonderslist

9. John Abraham – Romeo Akbar Walter

Though we are used to seeing John in movies where there would be loads of action bits, some guns car flips, and him leading the entire scenario. Here the role which he played was something a bit off the charts for him. He played the role of an old man, the makeup was done by Preetisheel  Singh.

John Abraham Romeo Akbar Walter
storypick

 

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A post shared by John Abraham (@thejohnabraham)

10. R. Madhavan – Rocketry – The Nambi Effect (yet to be released)

The film didn’t release yet and it’s on the list. But the pictures we got to see on social media already made us aware of the number of makeup skills it requires. Maddy is being transformed into a 77-year-old scientist. And obviously the way Maddy looks so young, he’d need a lot of makeup.

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Madhavan - Rocketry - The Nambi Effect
dnaindia

 

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A post shared by R. Madhavan (@actormaddy)

11. Ranbir KapoorSanju

Sanju was one of the prominent examples of the good side of makeup in Bollywood. The look took 3 hours on a daily basis to pull off. Which made Ranbir look exactly like Sanjay Dutt. Dr. Murky and hairstylist Aalim Hakim did all the magic.

Ranbir Kapoor transformation Sanju
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A post shared by Aalim Hakim (@aalimhakim)

12. Lara Dutta – Bell Bottom

In the trailer, we’re already aware of how identical Lara looks to Indira Gandhi. In a tweet Lara thanked her makeup artist for their amazon job and creativity, we were equally awed by the makeup transformation. The man behind the transformation is Vikram Gaikwad.

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Lara Dutta - Bell Bottom Indira Gandhi
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13. Akshay Kumar – 2.0

To make a human into a robot with the help of makeup is not an easy thing to pull off. But the makeup team in this film, Legacy Effects did that seamlessly.

Akshay Kumar - 2.0
(L) bollywoodhungama (R) TOI

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Shreshtha is a student of English Honors at The Bhawanipur Education Society in Kolkata. With over 3 years of experience in digital media, content syndication, writing, and editing, she navigates through her academic and professional journey. In her spare time, she keeps a watchful eye on Bollywood, fashion, lifestyle, pop culture, and social media trends. There's no drama here, just a subtle commitment to staying in the loop. Shreshtha is always ready with a cup of tea to sip and spill.