How B'wood heroines get into the skin of

WHAT LOOKS best on a woman is always in! At least that's what our Bollywood glam brigade seem to believe. Every twinkling star from Sushmita Sen to Rani Mukerji and Tulip Joshi to Gul Panag have gone for makeovers (either a no make-up look or a complete 'made-up' look) as they move on from one film to another. What makes our female heart-throbs resort to makeovers?

Make-up stylist Mickey Contractor feels when actresses go for makeovers, they do it to 'look different and be noticed'. So you have instances of lead stars opting for a nude (no make-up) look —Sushmita Sen (Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag), Tulip Joshi (Dhokha), Aishwarya Rai Bachchan (Provoked, Guru and Sarkar Raaj), Gul Panag (Manorama Six Feet Under), Ishaa Koppikar (Darling) and Kareena Kapoor (Omkara and Jab We Met) or complete makeovers like Vidya Balan in Aziz Mirza's next, Lara Dutta in Jhoom Barabar Jhoom and Rani Mukerji in Laaga Chunari Mein Daag.

Contractor points out, 'No make-up is not just kaajal and a washed face! A lot of effort goes to make the actor look simplistically attractive.'

Are actors confident about the no make-up look? Perizaad Zorabian, who shot some portions of Bollywood Calling and Morning Raga with 'no make-up', found the experience liberating: 'A harsh close-up can exaggerate even the smallest imperfection, so an actor who faces the camera with no make-up or goes for a makeover is someone who is able to throw away her vanity and insecurity. And it may make the character credible.' Ameesha Patel, who had a makeover for Mangal Pandey —The Rising and Ankahee, says, 'My roles required it. I am also blessed with very good skin. But a good cameraman is a pre-requisite when you opt for makeovers!'

For lensmen, shooting 'madeover' misses in Bollywood can prove to be challenging. Glamour photographer Dabboo Ratnani says, 'There are some actresses like Kareena Kapoor, who look immaculate without make-up. They make our job easier.' Make-up artist Cory Walia says, 'When you see a Lara Dutta in JBJ or a Sushmita Sen in RGV ke Aag, you should remark on the skin rather than the foundation used! Many insecure actors literally fight with directors to put on make-up as they feel vulnerable without it.'

Bollywood films also have the tendency to go over the top with embellished clothes and bright colours and see ordinary girls being transformed into headturners on celluloid. TV anchor and actress Pooja Bedi says, 'In the present scenario, it's impossible to not experiment with makeovers.' Image makeovers seem to be the order of the day for our Bollywood misses.

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