Amitabh Bachchan birthday special: Makeup artist Deepak Sawant recalls 52 years of working with megastar | Exclusive

As Amitabh Bachchan celebrates his birthday, longtime makeup artist Deepak Sawant recalls their 52-year association, iconic looks and the actor’s professionalism. Read more about their enduring bond.

Mumbai: Veteran makeup artist Deepak Sawant’s association with Indian cinema icon Amitabh Bachchan spans more than five decades. Their journey has seen Sawant create some of Bachchan’s most recognisable looks, including the French-cut beard that has become a signature part of his appearance. Before the two became closely associated in Bollywood, Sawant was a young apprentice learning his craft under senior makeup artists such as Pandhari Dada.

A chance substitution and a lifelong partnership

Recalling how they first met, Sawant said, “I was working with Raj Khosla Films on Raste Ka Patthar, which was running parallel to Zanjeer. Our makeup Dada couldn’t make it to the set, so he sent me in his place. After my makeup work was done, Amit ji said, ‘You do such good work, why do you stay behind?’ Out of respect for my mentor, I couldn’t jump to working independently right away.”

During those early shoots, Sawant noticed Bachchan’s meticulous approach to acting. The actor would not simply read his lines; he would internalise each beat, repeatedly reading and reacting until he achieved the desired result. Later, Bachchan’s driver, Nagesh, conveyed a message from the actor encouraging Sawant to express his wish to become his personal makeup artist.

However, initial hesitation from production teams delayed the arrangement. Managers reportedly argued that Bachchan’s films were not performing well enough to justify hiring a personal makeup artist.........

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