'Makeup is a science': Behind every actor in Kannada film industry, there's a craftsman

Rarely noticed unless it fails, makeup is one of cinema’s most invisible arts that balances science, continuity and emotion beneath the glare of lights, makeup artist Uma Maheshwar tells Pranati A S.

I once asked ChatGPT, ‘You’re taking away all our jobs... what should we do?’ It replied, ‘I’m nothing without you. I cannot deliver the human touch,’” says an optimistic Uma Maheshwar, fondly known as Makeup Umi in the Kannada film industry.

Umi, who began as a costume assistant on the Jaggesh-starrer ‘Super Nanna Maga’ (1992), is today among the most sought-after makeup artists in Kannada cinema.

His journey, however, has been marked by uncertainty, detours and hard-earned opportunities. At 18, Umi left home for Bengaluru with dreams of becoming an actor. Back then, even staying with relatives in the city was considered a “dishonour” to the family. For days, he survived at railway stations and bus stands until a chance encounter on a train with noted costume designer Gansi Nagaraj changed the course of his life. When a desperate Umi asked him for work, Nagaraj told him to return after 15 days; a fortnight Umi remembers as the hardest, yet most hopeful, period of his life.

Umi hails from a village in Hassan, where he grew up surrounded by theatre and folk traditions. He watched mythological plays such as ‘Ramayana’ and ‘Sathyavaratha Shani Mahime’, often performing as a ‘vanara’ himself. During ‘ooru jatre’, his grandfather painted figures of Bhootaraya and Chomaraya. Performance and storytelling, he says, were always woven into his world.

After the family moved to Tiptur in Tumakuru district, cinema became an obsession. His days began at 5 am in his brother’s goldsmith shop before school, and ended there again after classes. At night, he would sneak away to watch second-show films. The routine continued until grade 10.

Fifteen days later, Nagaraj kept his promise. He allowed Umi to stay in a tiny room at Sandhya Lodge, rented to store costumes, and paid him Rs 10 a day, money Umi spent mostly on books. Soon, Umi joined Nagaraj on the sets of ‘Super Nanna Maga’. Film crews often stepped in for one another, and the makeup assistant would frequently ask Umi — already handling Jaggesh’s costumes — to manage touch-ups as well.

By the end of the shoot, Jaggesh asked Umi to become his personal assistant. What began with costumes gradually evolved into makeup touch-ups, starting with ‘Alli Ramachari Illi Brahmachari’. Umi went on to work with Jaggesh on nearly 14 films until ‘Bhairava’ (1995). He calls the actor his guru, crediting him not only for teaching him about cinema but also for showing him how to survive in the industry.

One day, Jaggesh told him it was time to move on. “Otherwise, you’ll remain a touch-up boy forever,” he said. That push became the turning point in Umi’s career as a makeup artist. His first mentor was Mahadev Gowda, Jaggesh’s personal makeup artist, after which he trained under Gurumurthy, Siddesh and Ramakrishna.

Umi also expanded beyond cinema into television, beginning with ‘Sadhane’ by B Suresha, followed by ‘Garva’ and ‘Bidige Chandramma’, among others. Through television, he eventually found his way into theatre groups such as Benaka and continues to work with theatre persons like Zafer Mohiuddin, Arjun Sajnani and Prakash Belawadi.

Over the years, he has worked with filmmaker such as Upendra, Om Prakash Rao, K V Raju, Yogaraj Bhat, Duniya Soori, Simple Suni and Hemanth M Rao, and many actors, including Anant Nag, Shivarajkumar, and Soudarya.

Excerpts from an interview

How is makeup done differently for theatre?

In theatre, an artiste’s expressions must remain visible even to audiences seated 10 to 40 feet away from the stage. That is why stage makeup is usually much heavier than film makeup. It is also far more demanding because transformations often have to happen instantly between scenes, especially when a single actor is playing multiple roles. A moustache, for instance, may need to be removed or applied within seconds between lights going off and coming back on.

The entire makeup process is meticulously pre-planned and has to be executed flawlessly. If an actor feels something is off, it can affect the performance itself. Film sets offer the luxury of retakes and time; theatre does not. 

Sometimes in movies, makeup suddenly looks fresh in the middle of a scene. Why?

I’ll speak from my experience with Hemanth M Rao. (He has worked with the director on ‘Kavaludaari’, ‘Sapta Sagaradaache Ello’, and now ‘666 Operation Dream Theatre’.) Continuity depends on what the director wants, and Hemanth is extremely particular about it. During ‘Sapta…’, he specifically wanted the same under-eye puffiness caused by lack of sleep, and even dried tear marks below Rukmini’s eyes. If audiences are to fully experience cinema, makeup plays a crucial role. That is why the script must also be narrated to the makeup artist.

Continuity issues can also arise if directors shoot close-ups when the makeup is freshly done, and later move to mid-length or wide-angle shots after it has naturally settled. This is why sometimes, the character looks slightly different within the same scene.

How do you create bruises and injuries for action scenes?

Earlier, burn marks were created using onion peels, tissue and rubber. Today, makeup materials are far more advanced. Beyond zinc oxide powder, artists now have access to specialised SFX products, which offer materials like latex and wax for creating scars, burns and peeling skin. Filmmakers and actors such as Shankar and Kamal Haasan have redefined special effects makeup through films like ‘Avvai Shanmugi’ and ‘Indian’.

Makeup is a science. It has to reflect the kind of wound a particular weapon or impact would realistically cause. 

Has technology changed the way makeup is done?

Earlier, heavy make-up and contouring were necessary because of harsh, flat lighting. With advanced camera lenses, better lighting and lighter liquid-based products, makeup has become far more natural now. Many filmmakers now prefer just moisturiser, primer and concealer. Colour correction can also be handled in post-production. Even blood effects are often added later. 

You wanted to be an actor...

Yes, I actually wanted to become an actor. But Upendra convinced me that I would do well as a makeup artist. In ‘Upendra’, he even gave me the role of Betala, for which I had to mug up long dialogues through the night.

But acting is difficult, and not everyone succeeds. With makeup, I was able to build a stable life. I had brought my entire family to Bengaluru and needed security. I also did a small role in ‘Mungaru Male’, and acted in a few movies while working with Jaggesh.

How has the industry changed?

Earlier, the industry was constantly busy. When I worked with Jaggesh, there was continuous work. If a big hero does three films a year, the entire industry benefits. One film supports nearly 1,000 people. Actors used to do multiple films at once, but today the industry has slowed down.

What makes you happy today?

I feel satisfied that I have achieved something in both cinema and theatre. My theatre background also helped me grow intellectually. I have had the opportunity to work with directors ranging from Yogaraj Bhat and B Suresha to their assistants who later became directors themselves, like Soori, and then even the generation after that.

Cut to Crew is a new monthly column that spotlights the unseen technicians whose craft and creativity shape the magic of cinema.