The performances in Dhurandhar have received wide acclaim for bringing a larger-than-life world of a crime thriller. But beyond the plot and acting, it’s Dhurandhar’s iconic looks and the striking visual transformation of its characters that elevate the storyline.
From Ranveer Singh’s rugged spy look, Akshaye Khanna’s ruthless kingpin yet a calculated strategist, to R. Madhavan’s shocking transformation as an Intelligence Bureau officer, every look commanded attention, keeping us glued to the screens while watching Dhurandhar.
The person behind these dramatic makeovers is National Award-winning professional makeup, hair & prosthetic artist Preetisheel Singh. Her transformations brought every character to life in the high-stakes world that had politicians, mafias, goons, spies, and terrorists.
But Dhurandhar is not the only popular film where Singh has worked on the looks. She has created iconic transformations in movies like Bajirao Mastani, Padmaavat, Pushpa: The Rise, Mom, Bala, Mulk, Andhadhun, Haider and Rangoon. As Dhurandhar: The Revenge arrives in theatres, it’s a fitting moment to look back at the journey of the National Award-winning makeup, hair and prosthetics artist who helped shape some of Indian cinema’s most memorable on- screen looks.
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Corporate Life to Cinema
Before making a mark in films, Singh was on a very different career path. She had a corporate job at Tata Consultancy Services in Delhi and later spent around three years in New York as part of her corporate role. However, her fascination with transformation and character-building had begun much earlier. Films like The Lord of the Rings and Chachi 420, particularly Kamal Haasan’s remarkable makeover in the latter, left a strong impression on her.
Determined to pursue this interest professionally, she spent nearly three years saving money to study makeup and prosthetics abroad. When she returned to India, she honned her skills in prosthetics at a time when it design was still a niche field.
The Turning Point
Her big break came unexpectedly when UK-based prosthetic designer Mike Stringer needed an additional artist for Krrish 3 after an assistant was unable to travel to India. Stepping into the project proved to be a turning point. Soon after, she worked on multiple complex character transformations for the Punjabi film Nanak Shah Fakir. But what brought her to national acclaim was Vishal Bhardwaj’s Haider, where she created the film’s character lookbook, including Kay Kay Menon’s prosthetic-heavy climax appearance. Since then there was no looking back.
Singh’s work got wide praise and she went on to work for blockbusters like Padmaavat, Bajirao Mastani, Andhadhun, Pushpa: The Rise, Mulk, Bala and Chup, amongst others. Today, Singh co-runs Da Makeup Lab with her husband and collaborator Mark D’Souza.
How Dhurandhar looks Are Created?
For Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar, Singh went on to create unforgettable character looks based on the brief she got for each character. For Ranveer Singh, she crafted a rugged, slightly unkempt hairstyle paired with a dense, structured beard to create a battle-worn yet grounded spy.
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Akshaye Khanna’s popular character, Rahmna Dakait, balanced the energy of a ruthless kingpin and a calculated strategist. His neatly parted hair, a polished complexion and a clean-shaven finish exuded control and intelligence. For Yalina Jamali, the styling leaned toward softness, with curly hair and a refined look that highlighted grace and elegance.
Arjun Rampal, as head of a terror group, reflected both mystery and authority. He was styled with slicked-back, well-groomed hair and a trimmed stubble. Meanwhile, R. Madhavan underwent one of the most dramatic transformations, appearing almost unrecognisable as an Intelligence Bureau officer, with a near-bald look, glasses and minimal styling that added seriousness and depth to the role.
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Even the supporting characters received equal attention to detail. From beard and hair styles to subtle prosthetics and makeup choices, each look placed the characters convincingly within the film’s cinematic universe.
