DML has provided its services for some of the biggest box-office blockbusters including movies such as Bajirao Mastani, Padmaavat, Chhichhore, Housefull 4, Bigil, Master, Gangubai Kathiawadi and Pushpa: The Rise.

But that doesn’t stop Team DML from constantly experimenting and upping the bar. Moving like an unstoppable juggernaut, the studio keeps creating and innovating at a pace like no other.

Check out the studio’s Instagram page and you will realize the quantity of unique projects they are working on. Here are a few from their monthly activities.

One of the most interesting things DML has done in recent times is the wounded warrior look of Shah Rukh Khan in the upcoming film Jawan. SRK’s unique character with his bandaged and bruised look in the teaser has definitely got fans excited and curious.

 

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In fact, DML has designed all the characters for Jawan directed by the famous Atlee. This is also the first time the studio is working with Shah Rukh Khan.

 

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Talking about variety of character designs, yet another interesting flick to watch out for, is Cobra. In this Tamil action-thriller, Southern superstar Chiyaan Vikram will be seen in many astonishing avatars designed by DML.

 

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Even the new poster of Cobra is no less stunning. Sporting a retro avatar here, Vikram is seen adorning a funky printed shirt with suspender pants, stylish glasses and hair tied backwards, adding just the right amount of retro vibe to his overall ensemble.

 

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DML recently created a stubbled look for Ranveer Singh for a quirky character of a salesman he plays in advertisements for the fish and meat delivery marketplace FreshToHome. Check one of the ads here:

 

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But that’s not all. As a regular practice, DML keeps working on different experimental projects as a warming-up for the lab’s in-house team. And some of these projects are really interesting and intriguing. Like the creation of this cute silicone baby prop. It’s really fascinating to see how a mould is filled up, followed by the process of unveiling the prop.

 

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A similar video about how a body double prop is created for movies. Just imagine the scenes in movies where such props come of immense use.

 

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And last but not the least, is this scary prosthetic character of a tantric-turned-rakshasa created for Qayamat Ki Raat on Star Plus. As the Insta video caption goes, there is “terror in his eyes and evil in his bones!” You gotta see it to believe it.

 

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Fans who watched the movie flooded social media with appreciation about Allu Arjun, Rashmika Mandanna and Fahadh Faasil’s performances, their unique looks and makeovers. Some called it a masterpiece for the direction, while others appreciated the actors’ looks and transformation that makes the characters look more realistic and believable.

The talent behind all the makeovers (from Allu Arjun’s to Rashmika Mandanna and Fahadh Faasil’s), Preetisheel Singh D’souza, finds herself a little short of words to express her happiness. The makeup and prosthetic character designer remarks, “It’s always a pleasure to hear good things about your work, but this level of appreciation is a real blessing.”

Allu Arjun, who plays a truck driver involved in red sandalwood smuggling, dropped his ‘style icon’ image and donned a rustic look – ruffled hair, tanned skin, rugged beard and sharp-piercing eyes. “He patiently sat on the chair for hours for the transformation and gave all the liberty to experiment,” informs Preetisheel. The hard work indeed paid off as fans are going gaga over it.

She adds, “It was a challenge to create the looks. Whether it was the dramatic avatar of Allu Arjun, the deglamorized version of Rashmika Mandanna, or the bald look of Fahadh Faasil, a lot of work went into making them look the way they do in the film. I am happy that people are finding these drastic transformations interesting.”

But that’s not the only reason for Preetisheel to be happy. This has been a rocking year for her. Besides the success of Pushpa: The Rise, another Southern film Master, where she worked on Thalapathy Vijay, emerged a mega-hit at the box-office. Her film Chichhore where she had designed the old and new looks for all the cast including Sushant Singh Rajput, won the National Award in the Best Film category. She earned a lot of critical acclaim for the various makeovers in Bunty Aur Babli 2. Apart from that her character designs for Divya Agarwal in the ALT Balaji web series Cartel won tremendous praise.

Moreover, her studio Da Makeup Lab in the posh Versova locality of Mumbai, which she runs with her work and life partner Mark D’souza, has emerged as the number one outfit for makeup and prosthetic requirements in the entertainment industry.

What’s more! 2022 looks as promising as 2021. Preetisheel is gearing up for the release of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Gangubai Kathiwadi and Akshay Kumar starrers like Bachchan Pandey, OMG 2 and Ram Setu next.

Last but not the least, Chhichhore will be one of the first international films to hit Chinese theatres in 2022. With its release date set for January 7, the first Friday of the new year, some are even talking about it as a sign of thawing of ties between China and India in the coming year.

Amid all the buzz, one thing which caught everyone’s attention was the look transformations of the actors. Whether it’s the intense and vintage look of Arjun, who plays a truck driver involved in smuggling, the feisty damsel Rashmika Mandanna, or the bald getup of Fahadh Faasil, who plays the prime antagonist donning a moustache — it all seems to be very much convincing.

The makeover specialist behind all these transformations, Preetisheel Singh D’souza is filled with gratitude for all the love her work is receiving. “It’s always a pleasure to hear appreciating words about your work, more so, when it comes from fans of a superstar like Allu Arjun, who always have very high expectations,” she said. “Each look has a story to tell and we feel fortunate to be a part of this process of designing interesting characters,” Preetisheel added.

A few days ago, the makeup and prosthetic character designer also took to Instagram to share Pushpa’s poster with a caption that read, “A character’s journey starts when his look for the film is locked! In the movie-making business, both the hero and the villain compliment each other, and none is effective without the other. Our aim is to do justice to both, bringing out their good, bad and ugly sides, with elan. Sharing this poster of #Pushpa, wherein we had the pleasure of creating these two unique characters!”

Helmed by director Sukumar and produced by Mythri Movie Makers, the film will release on December 17.

For the record, Preetisheel is a National Award recipient and has handled the makeup and prosthetics for blockbusters like Bajirao Mastani, Padmaavat, Housefull 4, Haider, Rangoon, Mom, 102 Not Out, Thackeray, Bala and Chhichhore. She recently made headlines for the transformative looks of all the lead characters in Bunty Aur Babli 2, as well as the looks of Divya Agarwal in the web series Cartel.

Her studio Da Makeup Lab, which she runs with her partner-husband Mark D’souza, has emerged as the number one outfit for makeup and prosthetic requirements in the entertainment industry.

Preetisheel is now gearing up for the release of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Gangubai Kathiwadi and Akshay Kumar starrers like Bachchan Pandey, OMG 2 and Ram Setu.

While the various looks of the much-awaited film are the talk of the town, one person who is really really happy with the tremendous response is makeup and prosthetic character designer Preetisheel Singh D’souza. The lady who is known for creating transformative looks for actors in numerous films like Bajirao Mastani, Padmaavat, Housefull 4, Haider, Rangoon, Mom, 102 Not Out, Thackeray, Bala and Chhichhore, has once again outdone herself curating various looks for Bunty Aur Babli 2.

“It’s been a roller coaster ride,” quips Preetisheel, who recently also acquired a lot of critical acclaim for the various characters played by Divya Agarwal in the ALTBalaji web series Cartel. “When the pandemic hit, everyone was worried about the pace of the film industry. But the way things are picking up, it’s as if we are rolling at double the speed. And I for one, am not complaining,” she cheerfully adds.

Of course she has all the reason to celebrate. It’s been one of the most momentous years for her. Chhichhore won a National Award for best film, her Tamil action thriller where she curated the look for Southern superstar Vijay broke box-office records, and apart from Bunty Aur Babli 2, she has got yet another huge project in Allu Arjun’s multilingual Pushpa: The Rise – Part 1 coming up for release.

For the record, apart from being the No. 1 hair, makeup and prosthetic look designer in Bollywood, she runs India’s premier outfit Da Makeup Lab along with her partner husband Mark D’Souza. The lab’s building is a landmark in the posh Versova locality of Mumbai.

Emerging a landmark in the heart of Bollywood in the posh locality of Versova, Andheri, Mumbai, this four-storied imposing black building with coloured dots and huge face murals painted on it, has become a centre of attraction for many. So much so that passersby not only take pictures of it, but often stand opposite it to take selfies with it in the background. Yes, you got that right — selfies with a building.

As for the lab itself, it is buzzing with activity throughout the year, with the company being owned by Preetisheel Singh D’souza and her husband-partner Mark D’souza. While Mark takes care of the business, Preetisheel looks at the creatives, constructing astonishing character designs for a plethora of films including Bajirao Mastani, Padmaavat, Haider, 102 Not Out, Chhichhore, Housefull 4, Thackeray, Bala and the upcoming Gangubai Kathiawadi.

She is a National Award-winner and was recently featured by international website USA Newshour among the top best 5 makeup and prosthetic designers in the world, along with Hollywood stalwarts such as Kazu Hiro, Christian Tinsley, Jordu Schell and Neill Gorton. Also, she was the only woman featured in this top list of world-famous makeup and prosthetic designers.

Meanwhile, the beautiful black landmark building stands tall at Versova main road and keeps amusing everyone. We won’t say, ‘don’t miss spotting it,’ because if you happen to be in that part of Mumbai, there’s no way you can miss it.