Bollywood celebrity make-up artist, Bharat Godambe, who has not only worked but shares a close association with the B-town divas, takes The Pioneer memory down the lane, as he shares his journey, and working with actresses of different generations. Tejal Sinha
Bharat Godambe has that magic wand that has the ability to change actresses into fairies. From Madhuri Dixit and Sridevi to Priyanka Chopra and Rani Mukerjee, he has turned generations of beautiful women into movie deities through his make-up brush. You name them, and he has worked with them.
Initially, when he began his journey as a make-up artist, there was nothing such as inspiration but to work hard and earn some earnings. Well, so was it for him too.
After 40 years in the industry, the much-celebrated make-up artist takes us through his journey as he begins, “I started my journey in the industry when I was 16 and a half, when I just finished my SSC exam, and just after 2-3 months, I joined the industry’s biggest makeup artist, Pandhari Juker, as an assistant around 1976. He was one of the biggest makeup artists in the industry and has worked with many big production houses. It was a plus point for me since I’d assisted him, and I feel grateful for that.”
But how did a young Bharat get in touch with the renowned make-up artist of yesteryear? Well, let’s hear from him: “There was this neighbour of mine, who was also a hairdresser, who introduced me to him. The reason I got into this industry was because, back then, there were financial issues that my family was going through. After my SSC, I didn’t want to join the college but wanted to work. So with Usha Hazare, the hairdresser, I used to make these greeting cards and other craft work. She suggested that we see about the job, but till then, there’s this opportunity to work with Pandhari Dada, and it would be good for me to also start something. It’s also in the film line, so it would be a much-deserved chance for me.”
Though he began his journey at quite a young age, he recalls how he was bombarded with some big projects around 2006 and 2007. “One amongst them was Saawariya with Sanjay Leela Bhansali, and then Farah Khan’s Om Shanti Om for Deepika’s looks got famous. Both Dorris and I got the IIFA award. It was overwhelming, but giving our whole day on the sets used to get very challenging, due to which we didn’t take up more of the films back then. But it was a whole new experience working with them.”
A movie star’s mannequin-like image is the result of various factors, from perfectly coiffed hair to concealing even the smallest flaw. Bharat and Dorris Godambe would know. Ultimately, the pair has adorned a generation of film idols in real life as well as on film.
Back in the 80s and 90s, the make-up artist scene was quite different than it is today. Basically, he recalls that if one spoke about make-up artists, it was only men who were in the profession, while women were into the hairstyling profession. But now, as he looks back, he shares, “Since the past decade, there have been girls who have been coming up in the make-up line. Back then, there were barely any make-up artists, so we didn’t face many challenges. I got to use the most of the opportunities I got.”
If working on films is a task for the actors, directors, producers, and other technicians, then so is it for the make-up artists and hairstylists too. At least that’s what we understood during this chat with him as he shares, “Working in films was quite a hectic job, and so we preferred working on magazine shoots. However, our work was pretty well known in the film fraternity. Thus, we were called for the special songs in the films.”
Godambe and his wife, Dorris, share a much-closer association with Madhuri Dixit and Neena Gupta, Juhi Chawla, Urmila Matondkar, Mamta Kulkarni, Rani Mukerji, and Aishwarya Rai. Known for their impeccable ability to create the “flawless look,” Bharat and Dorris are revered as the ultimate authorities in makeup artistry today.
“It felt like going on a picnic when working with Madhuri. She loves eating, seafood, in particular. We used to go really crazy at lunch break,” recalls Bharat. However, he further recalls, “Parveen Babi used to be picky about what she consumed. She had egg whites, a glass of juice, and a slice of brown bread for lunch every day. She used to get the cook to prepare a complete meal for us; at one point, our team consisted of four people,” he remarks.
Over the years, he feels grateful for the support he and his wife, along with their team, have been receiving from celebrities of any generation, right from Sridevi to Rani Mukerji, Dia Mirza, or Sonam Kapoor, be it even in their debut, and it’s been no less than an honour. They have recently also worked with Hollywood star Cyathi Duglos.
“Every task and every phase was a challenge. However, how you handle the situation is important, so there wasn’t a single bad experience that he has had, and the ones who used to create chaos, we’d always stay away,” he shares on a funny note as he goes on to share a few of his special moments in his career, “It was our special moment when India got the Miss Universe crown by Sushmita Sen, Priyanka, Aishwarya, and Lara; we remember and we felt very fulfilling for the country. Meanwhile, on the other hand, it was challenging to work with Sridevi because she used to do her makeup herself, and when i did the make-up and Dorris did the hair, she loved it. She praised us so much that we cherish to date, and was undeniably a special moment for us.”
