BENGALURU: Celebrity makeup artist Rashida Pavthiwala can go on and on about nude and dewy makeup, but she’s equally passionate about the bold, gold, and bronze-heavy looks that were popular in the 1980s. This serves as the inspiration for her latest series, where she recreates iconic Bollywood actors’ appearances from that era.
She begins the series with the legendary actor Rekha in gold headgear with brushed eyebrows and bronze tones. “What I loved about Rekha is that she’s far from minimalist, making her a makeup artist’s dream. Practical fashion wasn’t her style. She was one of the few who could effortlessly carry off unique head wraps and headgear.
If she’s in a gold or black ensemble, she would always add a headpiece. She has a very feminine energy but was also fiercely strong and bold in her imagery,” Pavthiwala explains. She adds that, aside from other iconic looks, she will be recreating several more of Rekha’s signature styles. Although the look Pavthiwala recreated was inspired by a fashion shoot, Rekha sported numerous headgear styles in her film Khoon Bhari Maang.
The second star in the series is Sridevi. “I recreated Sridevi’s Hawa Hawai look from Mr India. She was one of the few actors in the industry who consistently stood out and left a lasting impression. She had a distinct style and brought a refreshing flair to fashion, often using bold, colourful eye makeup,” Pavthiwala explains. “I particularly loved Hawa Hawai for Sridevi’s sheer boldness in carrying off that look. While she was humorous in the song, her style and makeup were anything but comical.”
Pavthiwala’s previous series focused on actors from the 1960s and ’70s, where she recreated the looks of icons like Hema Malini and Sharmila Tagore. However, she admits that recreating the 1980s era was more challenging. “In the ’60s and ’70s, women began working and embracing fashion. A great deal of effort went into their looks.
The 1980s were also a fashionable time, but Bollywood offered much more versatility. Actors like Rekha, Sridevi, and actors like Smita Patil didn’t adhere to just one particular style,” Pavthiwala explains, adding that it took her around six to seven months of research to perfect these looks.