Makeup artist Vidyadhar Bhatte and costume designer Subarna Ray Chaudhuri reveal what it took for the actress to slip into character for a Marathi biopic on Bhagwan Dada
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 12, 2016)


Mirror (September 10, 2015) was the first to report that Vidya Balan plays yesteryear actress Geeta Bali in Ekk Albela, a Marathi biopic on the late actor-director Bhagwan Dada. Veteran make-up artiste, Vidyadhar Bhatte who had recommended Vidya for the role in the Shekhar Sartandel-directed film, reveals that the team spent only a day experimenting on the look.

"I took six-seven wigs along and tried out 10 hairstyles before zeroing down on a middle parting that enhanced the likeness between the two," says Vidyadhar, adding that the National Award-winning actress has been wanting to do a Marathi film for a long time. "She was in Cochin when I called her. She heard the script upon her return and immediately agreed to be a part of the film."

And even though yesteryear actresses wore heavy make-up on screen, Vidyadhar wanted to keep the look as natural as possible. "Geeta Bali had a thin upper lip so I used foundation to make Vidya's lip appear thinner. Ditto for her eyebrows which I coloured," he explains, happy that Vidya didn't take much time to get dressed and would never interfere in his work. "We would take an hour-and-a-half max to be ready for the camera."

Meanwhile, costume designer Subarna Ray Chaudhuri was armed with an entire wardrobe for the actress when she arrived for the look test and designed the costumes in just six days. "We had a clear brief that Vidya had to look exactly like Geeta Bali, especially in the songs, "Shola Jo Bhadke" and "Bholi Surat Dil Ke Khote". I have worked with Vidya on Parineeta earlier so I am familiar with her taste. We used a lot of pista green, maroon and yellow because the colours complement her," she says.

The designer would send pictures of sample fabrics to the director who would convert them in black and white to see if they had the desired effect. Even the jewellery was customised. "Designs from the time aren't readily available. We've used a lot of gold, silver, emeralds, rubies and pearls. Hoop earrings which were in vogue, as also voluminous georgettes, silk and prints. We wanted to stay true to the theme and the period so saris were draped in a certain way, the skirts were high-waisted and the blouses had cowl necks," the designer concludes.

Vidya on getting into character to play yesteryear actress Geeta
Upala KBR (DNA; September 26, 2015)


Wanna play Geeta?
She says she got the role through make-up artiste Vidyadhar Bhatte, who she has worked with in the past (on Parineeta, Munnabhai and Bobby Jasoos), “During Bobby Jasoos, I told him that I wanted to act in a Marathi film. So he called me and said there’s a Marathi film on the life of Bhagwan Dada and it’s a special appearance and they wanted to know if I would like to play Geeta Bali. The moment he said Geeta Bali, I was interested and said, ‘Okay, let me meet them’. I liked what I heard in the director’s 15-minute narration. It’s fun even if you’re doing a special appearance!”

Dressing concerns
“Subarna Ray Chaudhuri is the costume designer of the film, though I did have my own inputs, like I do for every character. I got involved with the styling because firstly, you are recreating a film that people are familiar with and secondly playing a star who is very loved. I loved the period film per se, the way women dressed in the past, and each one had an individual style statement, identity and personality.”

Doing it all!
The actress sizzles as Geeta in Shola Jo Bhadke for the Marathi film. Vidya laughs “We have tried to recreate the flavour of that era. Choreographer Stanley D’Costa, with whom I did the Marathi song Mala Jau De (from Ferrari Ki Sawari) and his wife appreciated my performance. I find Geeta Bali extremely charming, the effervescence in her is so arresting… I loved her song Shaam Dhale Khidki Tale. They had told me that I would be dancing Shola Jo Bhadke and Bholi Soorat, so I said what about Shaam Dhale? They told me that if I wanted to do it, I could do a bit of it. And they shot a part of the song for me because I wanted it, for my sake! I love that song!”

The larger picture
Vidya was happy with the outcome. “For the songs, we had references, but none for scenes. It was nice to recreate the ambience of that era. We had to refer to Geeta Bali’s song videos to get in to the character. These are little things but all add up to the larger picture. This was Bhagwan Dada’s big film, he invested all he had in Albela, so this is the highlight of his career. Unfortunately, this is the only film of his that we can watch because his other films got burnt at the archives I think.”

Happy connection
Vidya feels she was destined to act in Ek Albela. “I don’t know whether Geeta Bali is as known amongst the younger generation now. I have watched Albela and have the poster in my Juhu home. Siddharth had 60-70 film posters in his house before we got married and when we got married and were doing up the house Albela was the only film poster that I picked up and said, ‘Let’s put it up as it’s a happy poster.’ And what a coincidence that today I am doing the Marathi Albela! I really think I was meant to do it.”

Ankur Pathak (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 10, 2014)

Subarna Ray Chaudhuri and Amit Sharma had worked with filmmaker Pradeep Sarkar in the past. So, when they teamed up for Tevar, their sensibilities were completely in sync.

"Amit describes a character by enacting it. The characters of Radhika (Sonakshi Sinha) and Pintoo (Arjun Kapoor) were etched in his system. They were his best of friends," says the designer who has tailored the costumes for films like Lage Raho Munna Bhai, Parineeta and more recently, Lootera and Kick.

Sonakshi's Radhika in Tevar, despite being a small-town girl, is relatively more liberated than Lootera's Palki whom Subarna had cloaked conservatively in saris and salwar kurtas. "I dressed Radhika in basic denims teamed with a vibrant kurti and a chiffon jacket. She also carries a sling bag or a backpack as she is a student. Not too fashion-forward but neither painfully traditional--much like Agra itself," she says.

The city plays an important character in the film. So, it was important for Subarna to ensure that the vibe of the tourist town is reflected in her characters' wardrobes. She went shopping in Agra and Mathura."I picked up sweaters, salwar suits and shawls from Sadar Bazaar where Agraites shop from. I also bought short, sleeveless kurtas which men wear over Tees and sweaters in bulk. They are very 'in' with the locals there. I picked them in colours ranging from red, orange and emerald green to brown, blue and even white," she elaborates.

Subarna would then spend hours discussing the colours with the film's cinematographer Laxman Utekar to ensure that the film's tonal consistency was maintained.

"I spent weeks in Agra and Mathura observing that most guys really love body-fit Tees irrespective of how fit they are," she chuckles. "These Tees help them show off some muscle. They also roll up their trousers to the knees, something I suggested Arjun do too."

Accessories were kept to the bare minimum. "I singled out a neckpiece from the local market, added a pendant, a nose-pin and a payal to complete Radhika's look. She is not an outspoken girl; rather she is soft and feminine. If I cluttered her up with too many accessories I would set her apart from the crowd," Subarna points out.

She makes a special mention of the Radha Nachegi chartbuster where Sonakshi is dressed in a white ethereal ensemble. The designer chose white as it reflects purity.

"She is wearing a gown-ghagra combo, with the blouse or choli stitched in. Remo (choreographer Remo D'Souza) wanted pleats in the dress as she had to turn while dancing to reveal her elaborate ensemble. I went for golden pleats as it makes for a stunning combo with the white and the result is quite lovely," she beams with satisfaction.