Names or talent?

Amisha Patel at Cannes Film Festival 2013

While waiting for my flight at the London Heathrow airport, I crossed paths with Amisha Patel, a known and once successful Bollywood actress, who was on her way back from the Cannes Film Festival. We exchanged few words and as I said bye to her, it took me a minute to process, it was Amisha Patel I just met. Not because I was stunned by her stardom, but was simply taken aback at how ordinary she looked as compared to the divalicious herself, she manages to look on the screen. Not that I was expecting her to look like a diva in her personal time on the airport, but was amazed at the power of transformation (good) make-up has.

I just compared her images from her appearance at The Cannes to her real self and was stunned by what wonders make-up is capable of doing.

But it is so weird that in Bollywood the make-up artists behind the starry faces never get the acclaim, appreciation and recognition they deserve. I don’t even know a good make-up artist by name in the Indian film industry. Why is their talent never celebrated and they are never tagged as the celebrities? Do the actors and actresses really deserve every bit of the fame to play a character which comes into essence by the story, costumes and make-up? Is it the industry or we as viewers are just used to admire the people we see on the screen and fail to give the people behind the screen their due?

And it is not just about the pay-checks but for any creative person, getting few words of praise and recognition is precious and imperative to grow. Doing good make-up is no cakewalk and is a great skill and that is very well acknowledged by Hollywood. I hope one day we as viewers of the Bollywood films are able to broaden our mindsets to look at the bigger picture be it cinema or any creative medium and give the due recognition to every good artist infront or behind the scenes or canvas or stage or cover and are able to celebrate talent everywhere, not just the names.