From Ponthan Mada to Abdu, here are some of the stunning makeovers of Mollywood stars

Often, actors undergo tremendous physical transformation or makeover to flesh out a character in a movie. The makeover can help them travel through time to play someone younger or older, but it takes incredible amounts of skill and dedication, not just on the part of the actor but also the makeup artists who work day in and out to create that perfect look and make the character realistic. While the actor gets great response for the look and performance, the efforts of makeup artists who help actors with physical transformation, often go unrecognised. But that has never stopped them from doing their best.

Mollywood artists too have never shied away from taking up the challenge and have come up with brilliant ideas and put a lot of effort into recreating the vision of the filmmakers. Here are some Mollywood movies where the actors have pulled off their characters with unbelievable makeovers:

Mammootty in Ponthan Mada

Superstar Mammootty who played the titular role of Ponthan Mada, a labour, underwent a tremendous transformation with fake teeth, darker complexion, wearing dilapidated clothes. The look that helped him adapt and portray the character well in the film was created by national award-winning makeup artist Pattanam Rasheed. The movie on the friendship between him and an upper caste man also features Naseeruddin Shah and went on to win several awards.

Dileep in Mayamohini

Actor Dileep transforms into a woman for his character in the film Mayamohini and the credit also goes to his makeover man Roshan NG. In an earlier interview with News18, Roshan said that it was extremely challenging to bring out the look of Maya. “It’s easy to conceal the eyebrows and put an artificial one but Dileep wanted his eyebrows to be shaped and even pierced his ears to look like a normal woman,” he added. The wig that Dileep puts on was made of real hair. The team did a trial for three days to get the perfect look of the seducing lady. Roshan further added that it took four hours to do the makeup initially which they managed to cut down due to time constraints and the hot climate. The comedy was a commercial success.

Dileep in Kunjikoonan

One of the double roles that Dileep plays in this movie is that of a villager with a hunchback. His makeup and transformation into the character Kunjan was done by Pattanam Rasheed. The makeover with a hunchback, fake teeth and weird hairdo for Kunjan won him Kerala State Film Award for the film. Directed by Sasi Shanker, the romantic comedy follows the life of insecure Kunjan who’s worried that no one would marry him because of the way he looks. The makeover helped Dileep execute the body language and dialogue delivery quite well, making it one of the most unforgettable characters of Malayalam cinema.

Mohanlal in Koothara

Koothara is another Mollywood film that is applauded for the stunning makeover for its characters. Mohanlal is seen playing the role of Ustad Saali who meets three engineering students and transforms their lives. His look with shabby clothes, long unkempt hair, beard and dark complexion adds to the mystery of his character. The ruggedness and raw character is brilliantly brought out by the makeup team in this Srinath Rajendran directorial.

Prithviraj in Celluloid

The film, based on JC Daniel who is known as the father of Malayalam cinema, has Prithviraj Sukumaran undergo a complete transformation to play the role of Daniel. The makeover and special effects makeup were created by Pattanam Rasheed which defines the transformation that Prithviraj’s character goes through time, as young Daniel and then an aged bed-ridden filmmaker with wrinkles, defined jawline, and sagging skin around his neck. The exemplary makeover of Prithviraj holds striking resemblance to JC Daniel in real life.

Jayasurya in Apothecary

Superstar Jayasurya has done an impeccable transformation for the movie Apothecary. He lost over 15 kgs for the movie to portray the role of a victim of unethical medical practises at a hospital he was admitted to following a brain injury. The helplessness and tired look on his face is clearly evident. Jayasuriya took up intense dieting and strict cardio exercises to build his physique to perfectly fit the character.

Jayasurya in Trivandrum Lodge

Trivandrum Lodge revolves around the lives of a few people associated with a lodge in Kochi. Directed by VK Prakash, Jayasurya played the lead in the black comedy. His character Abdu who does odd jobs to earn a living has short dark and untidy hair, unkempt beard without a moustache, which also adds to his personality as a sex addict. This film was one of the boldest movies ever created in the industry that dared to fake moralistic attitudes in society. The movie received mixed reviews but Jayasurya’s character was lauded by many.