When less is more

Priyanka Chopra is playing the role of Kashibai, the first wife of Bajirao’s Peshwa in the film Bajirao Mastani. I made sure that Priyanka looked naturally exotic. I kept it simple, graceful, energetic, and refreshing without overdoing the makeup. We did many trials along with her costumes and jewellery to perfect the look. My task was to give Peecee a subtle yet influential look. I had to do a lot of research about Kashibai as a character – how she carried herself, what kind of bindis she wore, her skin tone, etc. to make Priyanka look as close to her true persona as possible.

To balance the bright colours of Priyanka’s costumes, I made use of soft colours like matte pink and matte red on the lips and just a touch of pink on her cheeks. The base foundation was used to make her face a little broad and oval. We used nearly three shades of the foundation to give that shape to her face. Coming to the eyes, I have kept it bare, with light make-up and long eyelashes to make them look bigger. To complete the look, I have incorporated the bindi that the Marathas wore – a moon-shaped one with a dot below it.

For the songs in which Priyanka is seen dancing, such as Gajanana and Pinga, we have used dark lip shades with a glossy finish to add drama. I have given her a bit of a shimmery look to match the saree she’s seen wearing. The idea was to create an evening look and complete it with her moon bindi.

The author is a celebrity make-up artist.