As mid-day traces a day in the life of a daily wager, make-up artiste Subhash Singh slams cine bodies for not distributing funds promptly
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; April 7, 2020)

Escaping into the make-believe world of cinema every night is helping make-up artiste Subhash Singh get by these days. "My family and I watch movies till late night. On waking up, my first duty is to arrange food for the 40 strays in the area," says Singh.

The make-up artiste — who has worked with several of Bollywood's leading ladies — admits he was one of the fortunate few who got their monies as he was working on Salman Khan's Radhe. "I have sent some money via Google Pay to those I know," he says, adding that he too has financial constraints. "My mother came out of a coma recently. So, I have to bear the medical expenses."

While he keeps busy throughout the day with household chores, the Goregaon resident also dedicates a part of the day to reaching out to his peers. "A few senior hairdressers reached out to me and I discussed their predicament with the association [Make-Up Artistes Association]. I keep hearing how large donations are being made [by stars], but people are going hungry here. Groupism is being practised at [the cine associations]."

The harsh times have uncovered some bitter truths about the industry. "I got calls from Juhi [Chawla], Preity [Zinta] and Madhu Chopra, asking if I need anything. The current crop of actors have not called to check on us."

Upala KBR (DNA; March 29, 2016)


Aditya Pancholi says, “Yes we are doing the film. I haven’t heard the script yet, but Subhash is a family friend, so I will do it.”

Subhash adds, “Zarina plays a cool and stylish don in the full-on comedy. Aditya and she don’t play a couple in the film, but they meet each other at the climax when they all come to Mumbai. Aditya’s character is very paranoid and can’t sit still for a moment. Parth’s character has an acting keeda. Even Anil Kapoor is in the film, playing himself — a big star. Parth comes to Mumbai to become a hero, lives with the eunuchs and even becomes one, to earn money. Sooraj will be seen in a cameo, playing himself, a star who is shooting for one of his films. I want Jacqueline Fernandez to also do the same.”

Upala KBR (DNA; December 14, 2015)


Subhash tells us the problem started after the shooting of the film began. “Jayant Gilata brought the subject of Chalk N Duster to me and it touched my heart. I went to Juhiji with the script and she loved it, but she wanted to change the director. It took me six months to convince her to sit with the writers and change the script. Finally, she said yes to the director and Juhiji and Shabanaji sat for a joint narration after which the film started. At that time I was the producer and Amin Surani was the co-producer and financier.”

It was after the film went over budget that things began to sour for Subhash. “We were to make it at a budget of Rs 5.50-5.75 crore. There was a misunderstanding between Amin and me after which I saw that my name was coming as co-producer and Amin’s as producer on the clapboard. When I tried to talk to Juhiji she shut me out completely. The director was to complete the film in 38 days, but it got extended to 55 days so the budget naturally rose. I kept Juhiji’s manager as EP on the sets and he instigated her against me. Not once did she ask me what happened. I am very hurt with Juhiji’s behavior. Chalk N Duster was my baby. I spent one-and-a-half years nurturing and watching it grow. When it got completed they snatched it from my hands.”

Upala KBR (DNA; November 12, 2015)


Subhash says that he’s deciding between two titles — Atrangay and Too Much Mach Mach. “It’s along the lines of Andaz Apna Apna and has been written by Dilip Shukla, who has written films like Dabangg, Ghayal, Andaz Apna Apna and Ziddi. The film is an all-out comedy. TV actor Parth Samthaan of Kaisi Yeh Yaariyan fame will play the male lead opposite Sanah. Sanah will play Supriya’s daughter in the film while Ratna will play Supriya’s sister. We are trying to decide whether Pankaj will play Sanah’s father or something else. We also want Naseer to do a cameo in the film. It’s about the sisters marrying into the same house and the insecurities arising between them.”

Only Shahid is missing from this family-cum-comedy entertainer. “We want Shahid to do a cameo too. It’s such a film where there will be scope for comedy and many cameos so I want Katrina, Raveena, Karisma and Salman to do special appearances in the film as well.”

Upala KBR (DNA; July 29, 2015)


Says a source, “Kat and Subhash had a fallout last year and had stopped communicating completely. But while she was in London with her family recently, he just picked up the phone and wished her on her birthday. It was an emotional reunion — Subhash has done her makeup for 11 years. They’ve decided to work together again.”

So why had Katrina been upset with him? “Last year, when Katrina was shooting for Jagga Jasoos, Ramesh Taurani asked Subhash to fly down to Mauritius for his son’s next, directed by Navdeep Singh as he thinks Subhash is lucky for him. It was a 35-day schedule and as Kat’s shoot was for two days, when Subhash asked, she said she’d manage. There was a storm in Mauritius and shooting got delayed. Subhash was to come back for Katrina’s ad shoot at Mehboob on May 14, but could get tickets for only July 17.”

When Subhash spoke to Kat’s manager Sandhya, she said the actress was upset with him but to give it some time till she cooled down. Subhash landed up in Mehboob to do Jacqueline’s make-up and he didn’t know Katrina was shooting for an ad in the same studio.

The media was there for the Kick promotions and when they found Subhash with Jacqueline, they asked Kat what happened. An upset Kat told them that she had replaced him as he wasn’t sincere in his work. He broke down when he read the news and asked Sandhya when hadn’t he been sincere in the last 11 years? She told him Kat was angry but would calm down. It took the actress more than a year to calm down.

Subhash confirms, “Yes, Katrina and I spoke on her birthday and we’ve sorted everything out.”

BOMBAY TIMES (April 12, 2015)