The face maker

Makeup, hair and fashion stylist Ojas Rajani says that she is as much a star as the people whose look she creates

January 24, 2018 04:43 pm | Updated 04:44 pm IST

Remember Aishwarya Rai in that song from Endhiran , dancing against the ruins of Machu Picchu, with her feathered headgear and striking eye make up? It took a while to create that look. But the actual challenge for makeup, hair and fashion stylist Ojas Rajani was “climbing those steps to the top with cases full of cosmetics and accessories. Since it’s a sacred site, makeup vans weren’t allowed and I had to carry myself and my heavy kits with me. Aishwarya at least had five people helping her,” laughs Rajani.

In a career spanning 23 years, Rajani has worked with Sridevi, Aishwarya Rai, Madhuri Dixit, Deepika Padukone, Sameera Reddy, Sriya Saran, Amy Jackson... and has also acted in Shankar’s Tamil film I . “I had to memorise and deliver dialogues in a language unknown to me. Every morning I had to make sure Amy’s makeup was perfect and then ensure my makeup and my dialogues were fine too,” says Rajani.

The expert is best known for creating the flawless, no makeup look. “That’s what I gave Urmila Matondkar in Rangeela , Jaanam Samjha Karo and Daud .” Among the men, she’s worked with Hrithik Roshan, Saif Ali Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Akshay Kumar and Rajinikanth. Since Rajinikanth has a big fan base in Malaysia, after working with him for Endhiran and Shivaji , cities like Kuala Lumpur and Penang have become an almost regular fixture on her schedule. “I often conduct workshops there. In addition, I also run a hair and makeup academy in Mumbai,” she adds.

The Mumbai-based artist says she’s been lucky to get good assignments but remembers a time when makeup artists were not treated as equals. “If the celebrity I’m creating a look for is a star, then I’m a star equally. When I did my first outdoor shoot and had to fly to Bangkok I told them I’ll fly business. Take it or leave it! A lot of producers like Ram Gopal Varma and Shankar are thorough professionals that way,” she adds.

In Chennai on a three-day workshop, Rajani is training teams at Naturals salons across the city, on new bridal looks, including the one trending from Padmavat . Her take on it includes grey smoky eyes, peach highlights, a messy bun, and a red bindi. Her style tips include soft, bouncy, flowy hair and soft dewy makeup is in. “An overdose of shimmer (often ends up looking like oily skin) and bright lipstick during the day are common mistakes people make. Less is more and that’s my principle for most looks I create,” she says.

0 / 0
Sign in to unlock member-only benefits!
  • Access 10 free stories every month
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.