Nagarjuna is very humble and grounded, says Preetisheel Singh

National Award-winning makeup and prosthetic designer Preetisheel Singh who has designed the looks for actors like Ajay Devgn, Akshay Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, Ayushmann Khurrana, Deepika Padukone, John Abraham, Priyanka Chopra, Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor, recently got to work with superstar Nagarjuna.

Starting off curating his look for a promo of Telugu Bigg Boss some time ago, she looks forward to work with him again. “Till last year, I was really looking forward to meeting Nagarjuna Sir, as I have grown up watching quite a few of his movies. When I finally did meet him, I found him to be such a warm and welcoming person,” says Preetisheel, complimenting the superstar who will be completing 35 years of his career next month.

“You wouldn’t expect such humility from a person of his stature but he is one of the most humble and grounded stars I have ever met. It was a pleasure working with him and I really hope that we work together again,” she adds.

For the record, Preetisheel Singh has earlier worked for many popular Bollywood films such as Bajirao Mastani, Padmaavat, Chhichhore, 102 Not Out, Mulk, Bala, Andhadhun and Housefull 4. Along with her work partner-husband Mark D’souza, she has also set up India’s first makeup and prosthetic lab called Da Makeup Lab in Versova, Mumbai.

The story of India’s No.1 makeup and prosthetic look designer

Chachi 420 changed her life

Today, Preetisheel Singh is a super-accomplished lady. The makeup, hair and prosthetics wiz who received a National Award for her work in Nanak Shah Fakir has worked with the who’s who of the industry, including Ajay Devgn, Akshay Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, Ayushmann Khurrana, Deepika Padukone, John Abraham, Priyanka Chopra and Ranveer Singh. The No. 1 look designer of Bollywood has been an integral part of huge box-office successes such as Bajirao Mastani, Padmaavat, Chhichhore, 102 Not Out, Mulk, Bala and Housefull 4.

Recently, in an article in the famous Indian-American publication India West, Preetisheel revealed how she started out and how Kamal Haasan’s look of a woman in Chachi 420 inspired her to enter the world of makeup, hair and prosthetics. Here is an excerpt from the article by veteran journalist Rajiv Vijayakar:

Born to a Sikh family in Pathankot, Singh repeatedly calls her parents “brilliant” for their unconditional support and encouragement at all times. She exults, “After I completed my B. Tech. in Engineering (Electronics & Instrumentation) in 2004, I was hired by Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), but I soon realized that I was not wired for such jobs. I was giving my 100 percent, but there was nothing standout that was really happening! I told my mom I wanted to quit, and she just said, ‘Do whatever makes you happy!’”

Her parents are film fanatics and that led to Singh being floored by the 1997 “Chachi 420.” “I was blown by Kamal Haasan’s look as a woman! I came to know that they had to call in foreign technicians for it. I also started digging online into what goes into such prosthetic make-up, initially only just for knowledge. And then I thought, ‘What if I myself do all this?’”

At that time, as luck would have it, TCS had posted her in the US, and Singh resigned, invested all her savings into an expensive six-month course at the Cinema Make-Up School in Los Angeles, and in 2010, arrived in Mumbai, putting up with her sister. She made strategic rounds of producers every day, with contacts derived from JustDial—the Indian search engine.

Predictably, the response was disheartening. Most filmmakers had no clue about her special skills and no requirements either because they did not understand how different she was from the average make-up artiste. But make-up veteran Anil Pemgirikar, who is 70-plus, saw her work, praised her and promised that he would put in a word for her wherever possible.

In 2012, came her first small assignment: of a swollen eye for Akshay Kumar in “Joker,” a film that went unnoticed by the audience. That portion was shot in Chandigarh, and then came the designing of the mutants in “Krrish 3,” under U.S.-based make-up whiz, Mike Stringer.

After finishing her work on the film, in which she helped on the mutants, the production person offered her peanuts as payment and Singh refused to accept the meager remuneration. The person was furious and demanded, “Who do you think you are? Miles Stringer?” Singh recalls, “I told her not to talk to me that way, I don’t owe her anything. But she went on shouting, so I went and told Mike. He got so furious he blasted the person, saying that without me, the mutants would not have been ready on time.”

Gradually, word-of-mouth spread and she got “Nanak Shah Fakir” and “Haider.” The former needed six months prep and she was given a bungalow where she set up a full lab. “I had to do aging for men, make someone’s face fat, show a leper, a chopped off part of a body and so on.”

The rest is history.

Petite Ujali Raj charms with her modest debut in Gulabo Sitabo

For a simpleton from the city of Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh, to make her debut in a film starring megastar Amitabh Bachchan and the versatile Ayushmann Khurrana, is like a dream come true. That’s exactly how petite actress Ujali Raj feels after playing a role in Shoojit Sircar’s social satire Gulabo Sitabo. Released on Amazon Prime, the film has Big B and Khurrana enacting a tussle for ownership of a century-old dilapidated mansion.

Ujali Raj - Duet 2“I am really grateful that I have got a chance to work with a prolific maker like Shoojit Sir and witness the magnificence of a stalwart like Mr Amitabh Bachchan and the multitalented Ayushmann Sir right in my first film,” says an excited Ujali. “It’s a lifetime opportunity and I just feel blessed its come my way,” says the pretty gal, glowing and beaming with enthusiasm.

Ujali Raj - Movie Collage 1 (Image courtesy - internet)

Her exuberance is understandable, as Ujali even got a few scenes sharing some screen space with the Bollywood powerhouses of talent. She played one of Ayushmann’s growing sisters, Payal. But in the limited scope her modest role allowed, she made sure she registered her presence in the scenes, doing a fine job.

Ujali Raj - Movie Collage 2 (Image courtesy - internet)

“To prepare for the part, I observed and interacted with some local girls from Lucknow. Visually too, I am looking different in the movie as I have dark makeup and my costumes involved loose fitting clothing,” she quips.

Ujali Raj - Duet 3

Ujali is not a novice to acting. Having graduated in Visual Communication and Theater Arts from Bangalore she has studied at drama school and has done theatre in Lucknow. She has performed important roles in several plays, including Twelfth Night, Nagamandala and Ashoka. Surprising her peers once, she even played a part where she was boldly projected as a bald girl.

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She feels that her experience with theatre was an asset for bagging the role in Gulabo Sitabo. Ujali’s photographs exude freshness and charm, as if an abounding untapped talent is waiting to be discovered by Bollywood. She hopes that Gulabo Sitabo becomes a stepping stone for her to showcase her acting abilities further with more assignments. The bubbly sparkling newbie has her fingers crossed, and we wish her all the very best.

Top 10 transformational looks from hair, makeup and prosthetic designer Preetisheel Singh

When it comes to transformational looks and makeovers, National Award-winning hair, makeup and prosthetic designer Preetisheel Singh is the undisputed No. 1 in Bollywood. She has also set up India’s first make-up and prosthetic lab called Da Makeup Lab at Versova, which has emerged a landmark. Here’s a list of the Top 10 looks she’s designed, which impressed every Bollywood buff. What’s more! Most of the films have emerged big money-spinners at the box-office.

1) Chhichhore

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The film had many characters which needed character designs as well as ageing. Preeetisheel had to keep that in mind while curating the looks. Plus, all the characters in the film were being drastically transformed in looks for the first time, which made her job all the more special. But she made sure that the looks matched their characters and also kept them as realistic as possible, which was loved by the director Nitesh Tiwari. Preetisheel designed multiple young and old-age looks for an ensemble lead cast. The film turned out to be quite spectacular. It went on to cross the Rs 200 crore mark at the box-office.

2) Padmaavat

2) Padmaavat

Designing the looks for Padmaavat led to creating the look of the evil ruler Alauddin Khilji (played with aplomb by Ranveer Singh), which turned out to be one of the most iconic villainous characters in Indian cinema, not just for the performance, but also for the look. Preetisheel’s looks for Deepika Padukone (as the legendary queen Padmavati) and Shahid Kapoor (as the Rajput ruler Ratan Singh) and the other cast of the film also earned her tremendous praise. Viewers and film critics alike, were awestruck with the results. Working with Sanjay Leela Bhansali was always special to Preetisheel (she had worked with him on Bajirao Mastani earlier), because she got all the creative freedom she needed. He trusted her work and that gave her the confidence to design something very unique and different. The film is reported to have earned Rs 585 crore at the box-office.

3) Bala

3) Bala

Bala was a film where Preetisheel designed the looks for both the main leads, which were totally transformed. The balding look of Ayushmann Khurrana was enjoyed by the audiences and so was the dusky look of Bhumi Pednekar. The film became a hit and was hugely accepted by the audiences all over the globe, grossing Rs 171.45 crore worldwide.

4) Nanak Shah Fakir

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This film is very special to Preetisheel as it was her first film as a hair, makeup and prosthetic designer, and even bagged her the National Film Award for Best Makeup. A pre-Mughal historical epic Nanak Shah Fakir based on the life of Guru Nanak, required the most amount of prosthetics done in Preetisheel’s career. She designed the looks for all the characters in the movie. The film released and re-released amid controversy, but went on to become an landmark for its subject and theme. Reminiscing about it gives Preetisheel immense creative satisfaction.

5) Housefull 4

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For Housefull 4, looks for all the period characters including those of Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh, Bobby Deol, Kriti Sanon, Pooja Hegde, Kriti Kharbanda and Rana Daggubati were designed by Preetisheel. Media went ga ga over Akshay Kumar’s bald look in the film and it received a huge opening. Akshay also complimented Preetisheel for her work. The song Bala Bala Shaitan Ka Saala too, emerged a rage. Housefull 4 grossed Rs 280 crore worldwide.

6) Bajirao Mastani

6) Bajirao Mastani

This was Preetisheel’s first movie with Sanjay Leela Bhansali. It gave her a chance to prove herself to him, as the maker focuses on the minutest detail. All the characters in Bajirao Mastani turned out outstanding and that’s what gave Preetisheel a masterful footing with period films. Especially, Ranveer Singh’s look as the Maratha Peshwa Bajirao earned Preetisheel good recognition. The film was reported to have grossed Rs 356 crore at the box-office.

7) 24

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24 was the first time she got a chance to work with Southern superstar Suriya. Preetisheel found him extremely down-to-earth to work with. 24 was hailed as one of the classiest movies in terms of looks and special effects, and went down in history as great fine art. She got to work with Suriya in more films later. The film earned 150 crore at the box-office.

8) Romeo Akbar Walter (RAW)

8) Romeo Akbar Walter (RAW)

RAW had a lot of disguises on John Abraham who plays a spy in the film. That by itself was super exciting for the makeup and prosthetic whiz. She found him amazing to work with as he was very open to the idea of prosthetics and very patient getting into the various looks. Some of his disguises in the film were so good that even his fans could not recognize him in the movie stills which were released before the film.

9) 102 Not Out

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Creating super-aged looks for Amitabh Bachchan (as a 102-year-old man) and Rishi Kapoor (playing his 75-year-old son) is yet another highlight of Preetisheel’s career. Working for this Umesh Shukla film was interesting for her, but she also admits that it was tense. Apart from their seniority, Preetisheel knew that both Bachchan and Kapoor had worked with some of the best international names in makeup and prosthetics. She did her best. Luckily, they loved the looks and so did the audience. Though the film was not a typical Bollywood potboiler, it earned a handsome 115 crore at the box-office.

10) Mom

10) Mom

Mom had an amazing script to start with and transforming the look for Nawazuddin Siddiqui for the first time was quite exciting for Preetisheel. His receding hairline and buck tooth look in the film, almost made him unrecognizable. The film was a success, earning 175 crore at the box-office. Preetisheel later worked with Nawazuddin again for the film Thackeray, where she transformed his looks into that of the Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray

Bollywood PR Dale Bhagwagar lists 6 best Rishi Kapoor movies which amazed the nation

As appeared on Mango Bunch:

https://mangobunch.in/gossip/bollywood-pr-dale-bhagwagar-lists-6-best-rishi-kapoor-movies-which-amazed-the-nation/

Reeling under the pressure of the Coronovirus lockdown, the demise of veteran actor Rishi Kapoor immensely saddened Bollywood. More so, Rishi’s death hit the industry as a twin tragedy, just as it was getting over the grief of actor Irrfan Khan’s death.

Remembering the evergreen actor’s classics, Bollywood PR Dale Bhagwagar listed 6 of Rishi Kapoor’s top movies which took the Indian film industry by storm. “Going through these top Rishi Kapoor classics as a flashback, may serve as a balm on the sad news that has befallen,” he wrote on his social media.

1) Amar Akbar Anthony (1977)

The first in the list is Amar Akbar Anthony which was directed by the maverick filmmaker Manmohan Desai. Starring Rishi with Amitabh Bachchan and Vinod Khanna, the film belonged to the drama genre, but could easily be classified as a comedy and a musical.

2) Naseeb (1981)

Another dramatic film which Dale has listed on top is Naseeb, once again starring Rishi with Amitabh Bachchan, this time with Shatrughan Sinha giving them company. This one too was directed by Manmohan Desai.

3) Bobby (1973)

The third movie listed by the Bollywood publicist among Rishi’s best, is the actor’s first film as a lead star; the cult romantic megahit Bobby, directed by none other than his father Raj Kapoor, co-starring Rishi with Dimple Kapadia.

4) Prem Rog (1982)

Raj Kapoor was the director of two more films listed by Dale as the topmost classics of Rishi Kapoor. One being the dramatic Prem Rog, co-starring Rishi with Padmini Kolhapure.

5) Mera Naam Joker (1970)

The other being the romantic biopic Mera Naam Joker, which was actually Rishi’s debut as a child-artist. It released in 1970, three years before Rishi made his debut as a hero in Bobby in 1973. He even received the National Film Award for Best Child Artist for this one. Mera Naam Joker starred Raj Kapoor with Simi Garewal and a host of stars from the film industry. Rishi played the role of an adolescent called Raju, who deals with an infatuation with his teacher Mary, played by Simi Garewal.

6) Chandni (1989)

The final film Dale Bhagwagar lists as one of Rishi Kapoor’s greatest classics, is Yash Chopra’s movie Chandni, which starred Rishi with Sridevi and Vinod Khanna. Sixteen years after he made his debut as a hero with Dimple in Bobby, Rishi outdid himself as a romantic lead once again in Chandni opposite Sridevi.

“His more recent films like 102 Not Out (2018), Mulk (2018), Kapoor & Sons (2016), Rajma Chawal (2018), The Body (2019) and the reboot of Agneepath (2012) where he starred as a villain, also make credible mentions,” wrote Dale. “And not to forget some of the other greats such as Karz (1980), Saagar (1985), Hum Kisise Kum Naheen (1977), Deewana (1992), Damini (1993), Heena (1991), Coolie (1983) and Bol Radha Bol (1992),” Dale added.

What more can we say, but that we have lost a gem of an actor, which Bollywood won’t forget forever. Rishi was known as Bollywood’s ‘evergreen’ actor, and now, evergreen he will stay in the memories of all.

 

Preetisheel Singh behind South style icon Allu Arjun’s look in Pushpa

National Award-winning look designer Preetisheel Singh, who has designed looks for Bollywood biggies like Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn, John Abraham, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Shahid Kapoor, Ayushmann Khurrana and Ranveer Singh, has now teamed up with South style icon and superstar Allu Arjun for his upcoming film Pushpa, creating a look which already has the masses anticipating more.

The makeup and prosthetic designer has done a lot of detailing, including colour, tan, and a hairstyle to match the rugged bearded look of Allu Arjun with piercing eyes. The actor recently shared the first look of the film on social media and the poster instantly went viral.

What’s more! The poster emerged the most liked first look on Twitter with more than 84.k likes in 24 hours. Currently, it has 17.3k retweets and 98k likes on the micro-blogging site.

According to the grapevine, the film is based on red sandalwood smuggling and set in the backdrop of Seshachalam forest, the hilly ranges part of Eastern Ghats in southern Andhra Pradesh. Directed by Sukumar, Pushpa is touted to be an action entertainer, with the shoot being planned after the nationwide Coronavirus lockdown is lifted.

Known for her transformational work in Bollywood, Preetisheel also owns and operates India’s premier outfit Da Makeup Lab along with her partner Mark D’souza.

Bollywood spreads warmth during Coronavirus

The nation is facing the probability of a longer lockdown than 21 days, or even curfews during the Coronovirus aka COVID-19 outbreak. While people are stuck in their houses, they are increasingly watching movies and surfing the net. Most Indians are looking up to their idolized Bollywood personalities, who are cheering them up once again this week.

Amitabh Bachchan

Quoting Charles Darwin, megastar Amitabh Bachchan wrote the following lines on Twitter: “It’s not the strangest who survive, not the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.” Not to forget to mention that Big B is one of the most active desi filmstars on social media and his tweets and posts are revered by fans.

Priyanka Chopra

Priyanka Chopra also took to Twitter to share an interesting sketch of a little boy riding a horse. The caption read: “Everyone is a bit scared, said the horse. But we are less scared together.”

Katrina Kaif

Katrina Kaif, who earlier posted videos of her mopping and cleaning her house and even doing the utensils during the social distancing of Coronavirus times, said, “Hope everyone is staying safe… please follow all precautionary safety measures as recommended by the health professionals… exercise and meditation help your body’s immune system… keep your environment clean and happy.”

“Be safe and take care of one another. Together let’s help to stop the spread of this virus. Stay safe everyone,” added the actress.

Sonu Nigam

Actor-singer Sonu Nigam shared an exclusive message on Coronavirus, wherein he shared his plight about not being able to return to India amid the total lockdown.

Preetisheel Singh

Ace makeup and prosthetic designer Preetisheel Singh asked everyone to show restraint and compassion in these tough times. “The world is going through troubled times right now and it seems like we cannot do anything about it, but remember, it’s the little things that will get us all out of this big difficulty,” she wrote on the Instagram account of her company, Da Makeup Lab.

“It’s the care, the love, the strict adherence to social distancing, and a sense that together we can overcome it. That is what will ultimately bail us out. So keep calm and fight on,” added Preetisheel.

Karan Johar

Leading filmmaker Karan Johar tweeted: “You know what to do! You know how critical it is! You know about self isolating, washing hands, social distancing, you know it all!”

“Then do yourself a favour and just don’t read any more corona updates for a few days! Just happy and elevating news! Do this for yourself,” Karan added.

Alia Bhatt

Sharing a pic of hers with papa Mahesh Bhatt, Alia wrote on her FB page: “Stay home and go through old pictures when you’re missing your daddy. #throwbackthursday #stayhomestaysafe”

The Indian government has said that the Coronavirus pandemic in the country is at the “local transmission” stage. The total number of cases have risen to 1,071 and the death toll stands at 29.

Meanwhile, according to the latest news reports, worldwide, the number of Coronavirus cases has reached more than 724,436. Some 151,000 people have recovered, while more than 34,000 have died.

After Chhichhore and Housefull 4, Preetisheel Singh hits another hattrick with Bigil

Preetisheel movies collage 8

While Chhichhore has crossed the 200 crore mark, and Housefull 4 is roaring at the box-office with a collection of 53.22 crore in just three days, another movie of National Award-winning makeup and prosthetic character designer Preetisheel Singh is doing stupendous business.

Preetisheel movies collage 6

Bigil is the latest blockbuster from Tamil film industry Kollywood’s megastar Vijay, who has become synonymous with Diwali releases in the South, as Rajinikanth is with Pongal or Salman Khan is with Eid in Bollywood. Recently, Shah Rukh Khan described Bigil as Chak De on steroids.

Preetisheel movies collage 7

For the movie, Preetisheel has designed two looks for Vijay in a double role, one a footballer and the other as a gangster. “Bigil was a very exciting project as we had to do two different generation looks,” says Preetisheel.

Preetisheel Singh - Pic 21

“Vijay Sir doesn’t speak much but is a gem of a person. My experience with him has been amazing. He is very welcoming and very easy to talk to,” she quips, adding that she has curated another look with him for a movie which will go on floors soon.

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Preetisheel has earlier achieved a hattrick a year ago, when three of her movies Padmaavat, 102 Not Out and Mulk hit the bulls eye. In recent months she has also garnered abundant praise about her work for Andhadhun and Thackeray.

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She has been behind some of the best looks of a plethora of top Bollywood stars like Ajay Devgn, Akshay Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, Ayushmann Khurrana, Deepika Padukone, Kangana Ranaut, Madhuri Dixit, Nawazuddin Siddiqui,  Radhika Apte, Ranveer Singh, Salman Khan, Shahid Kapoor & Sunny Deol.

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Her work will soon be seen in forthcoming movies like the Nawazuddin Siddiqui-Radhika Apte-starrer Raat Akeli Hai, Ayushmann Khurrana-starrer Bala, Kartik Aaryan-Bhumi Pednekar-starrer Pati Patni Aur Woh, Sunny Singh-starrer Ujda Chaman, Kangana Ranaut-starrers Panga and Dhaakad, and Bhansali Productions’ Tuesdays and Fridays.

 

Bollywood goes ga-ga over Preetisheel Singh’s baldie boys!

Housefull 4 poster, Ujda Chaman poster, Bala poster, Preetisheel Singh. (Poster images courtesy - Internet)

Close on the heels of the stupendous success of Nitesh Tiwari’s Chhichhore, National Award-winning makeup and prosthetic character design specialist is coming up with not one, two, but three stunners. And all the three films have taken the film industry imagination by storm.

Housefull 4 poster, Ujda Chaman poster, Bala poster. (Poster images courtesy - Internet)

Yes! We are talking about none other than the three baldie looks of Bollywood, which are the talk of the town from a while now. The wiz behind the looks of Akshay Kumar as Bala in the Farhad Samji-directed Housefull 4, Ayushmann Khurrana in Amar Kaushik’s movie Bala and Sunny Singh in Abhishek Pathak’s Ujda Chaman, is look designer Preetisheel Singh.

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What has particularly surprised many, is the fact that inspite of all the three looks being of men going bald, Preetisheel has deftly designed them in a way that all of them look ending different on the screen. While Akshay has an imposing mouche to go with the look, Ayushmaan has a receding hairline, and Sunny Singh has a moustache and stubble to match his balding look.

It can be noted here that Preetisheel even received accolades for her transformational look makeovers in movies like Padmaavat, Mom, 102 Not Out, Mulk and Thackeray some time ago.

Bala poster, Ujda Chaman poster, Houseful poster, Preetisheel Singh. (Poster images courtesy - Internet)

She is now excited for her forthcoming releases which include an interesting mix of movies like the Nawazuddin Siddiqui-Radhika Apte-starrer Raat Akeli Hai, Kartik Aaryan-Bhumi Pednekar-starrer Pati Patni Aur Woh, Southern superstar Vijay’s next Bigil, Kangana Ranaut-starrers Panga and Dhaakad, and Bhansali Productions’ Tuesdays and Fridays.

What’s more! The talented lady is also preparing to launch the ‘Preetisheel School of Character Design’ at her new sprawling office and workshop of her company ‘Da Makeup Lab’ at Versova, Mumbai.

 

Chhichhore and Bala bring accolades for look designer Preetisheel Singh

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If the trailer of Nitish Tiwari’s Chhichhore and teaser of Amar Kaushik’s Bala are anything to go by, the audiences are in for a visual treat in terms of look transformations of the main cast. And the lady behind the looks of the entire lead cast in the films — India’s numero uno makeup, hair and prosthetic designer Preetisheel Singh — has good reason to feel proud.

Both the movies have actors in their aging avatars and Preetisheel’s work has been receiving a new wave of accolades, after all the recognition it received earlier for films like Padmaavat, Bajirao Mastani, Andhadhun, Mom, Mulk, 102 Not Out, Thackeray and many others.

“Look transformations are an integral part of the storylines of both these movies, and it was a challenge and responsibility for me to make them look convincing and believable. I am so happy people are appreciating my work,” says a modest Preetisheel, who’d won the ‘National Film Award for Best Makeup’ for her very first film — the pre-Mughal historical epic Nanak Shah Fakir based on the life of Guru Nanak.

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She makes it a point to thank the filmmakers of all her movies for putting their trust and faith in her work. “Without their faith, I wouldn’t have been able to do all this,” she says. Having taken her career graph a few steps further towards more recognition and glory, the lady has no time for a breather. The next few months have her working on a dozen films back-to-back, as well as starting the ‘Preetisheel School of Character Design’ at Versova, Mumbai.

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Some of the forthcoming movies in her kitty include the Akshay Kumar-starrer Housefull 4, Nawazuddin Siddiqui-Radhika Apte-starrer Raat Akeli Hai, Kartik Aaryan-Bhumi Pednekar-starrer Pati Patni Aur Woh, Southern superstar Vijay’s next Bigil, Kangana Ranaut-starrers Panga and Dhaakad, and Bhansali Productions’ Tuesdays and Fridays.

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After Padmaavat, 102 Not Out, Preetisheel Singh wants aliens for Bollywood

Preetisheel Singh at work in her studio Da Makeup Lab. - Pic 1.

The list of achievements for National Award-winning makeup and prosthetics designer Preetisheel Singh haven’t stopped from the day she set foot in the world of make-believe.

Preetisheel Singh at work in her studio Da Makeup Lab. - Pic 2.

“They say, Bollywood is a place where dreams are made. So what better than a profession which helps makes those dreams a reality,” quips Preetisheel, who has designed the looks of actors for some of the topmost movies in Bollywood like Umesh Shukla’s 102 Not Out and Sajid Nadiadwala’s Housefull 3, along with Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Bajirao Mastani and Padmaavat.

Preetisheel Singh at work with prosthetics.

Her work for the pre-Mughal epic Nanak Shah Fakir directed by Sartaj Singh Pannu bagged her the coveted National Film Award for Best Makeup, while her talent will soon be showcased again in Anubhav Sinha’s Mulk, where Rishi Kapoor will appear in the look of a devout Muslim. Then there is the Nawazuddin Siddiqui-starrer Thackeray — the biopic on Shiv Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray, presented by Sanjay Raut and directed by Abhijit Panse.

Preetisheel Singh working on makeup of a ghost on the sets of The House Next Door.

So what does it take to create different looks? “Prosthetic has a lot of parts involved in it. You first take the life cast of the actor in 3D measurement after which you sculpt and make moulds, running silicon pieces in it,” explains Preetisheel.

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“The silicon pieces are then applied on the actor and are merged with the actor’s skin so that it doesn’t look artificial. So tomorrow if a filmmaker comes up and has the requirement for an alien creature, we can do it. In fact, it will be good fun and I’d love to create aliens for Bollywood.”

Preetisheel Singh gets the Power Brands Award.

Is the whole process very time-consuming? “When we look at characters with prosthetics on screen, we do not realize how much time and effort goes behind the scenes. The whole process involves a lot of visualization, planning, detailing, art and finally time. But the end result is worth the energy spent,” she concludes with a smile.

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Makeover whiz Preetisheel Singh receives rave reviews for 102 Not Out

Preetisheel Singh working on Amitabh Bachchan's look on the sets of 102 Not Out. Pic 2.Basking in the glory of the success of 102 Not Out, its makeup, hair and prosthetic designer Preetisheel Singh is almost in a daze from a week. The Amitabh BachchanRishi Kapoor starrer brilliantly directed by Umesh Shukla has been a runaway hit with audiences and critics alike.

Preetisheel Singh working on Rishi Kapoor's look on the sets of 102 Not Out. - Pic 3

Ace film reviewer Kunal Guha of Mumbai Mirror points out that both (Bachchan and Kapoor) “internalize their screen personas to an extent that one often forgets the actors are under the layers of prosthetic.”

Preetisheel Singh working on Amitabh Bachchan and Rishi Kapoor's look on the sets of 102 Not Out.

“Speaking of which, makeup and prosthetic artiste Preetisheel Singh is meticulous in her vision and execution and drafts faces that elaborately convey both their personalities. Even the strands of hair that sits on their head seem to be custom-woven to the brief—the father’s — unkempt and carefree, while the son’s — usually neatly parted, keeping with his orderly manner,” he writes.

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Bollywood Hungama echoes, “The review would be incomplete without the mention of Preetisheel Singh’s makeup, hair and prosthetic. She gives a great look to both the veteran actors which also turns out to be the film’s USP.”

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Covering Preetisheel for News18, journalist Mugdha Kapoor Safaya says, “It would be an understatement to only call her a makeup and prosthetic artiste. Perhaps, the term makeover whiz seems more appropriate.”

Amitabh Bachchan and Rishi Kapoor in 102 Not Out. (Image courtesy - Google)

“While Amitabh Bachchan and Rishi Kapoor are to be credited for getting into the vibe of the characters, prosthetic artiste Preetisheel Singh deserves credit for the amazing physical transformation the actors underwent. With each look that she designs, Preetisheel provides an accurate physical aid to the characters being portrayed,” writes Urban Asian journalist Diana Lydia Parmar on social media.

Preetisheel Singh working on Amitabh Bachchan's look on the sets of 102 Not Out.

“I’m humbled by the stupendous praise. 2018 has been a breathtakingly amazing year for me,” says Preetisheel, who emerged Bollywood’s No.1 look designer after she curated the looks for Ranveer Singh, Shahid Kapoor and Deepika Padukone in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s blockbuster Padmaavat.

Preetisheel Singh working on Rishi Kapoor's look on the sets of 102 Not Out. - Pic 4

This year also saw the re-release of the Sartaj Singh Pannu-directed Nanak Shah Fakir which got Preetisheel the National Film Award for Best Makeup. But the lady has no time to slow down. Her work will soon be showcased in the Harshvardhan Kapoor-starrer Bhavesh Joshi Superhero directed by Vikramaditya Motwane, followed by the Nawazuddin Siddiqui-starrer Thackeray — the biopic on Shiv Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray, presented by Sanjay Raut and directed by Abhijit Panse. For Preetisheel, it looks like the year has just begun.

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