CHENNAI: Dramatic make-up palettes, flawless eyeliner, a flush of shimmery hues and smokey shades on the eyelids, a sublime glass skin glow effect, contour on fleek, an ambitious vision and a magic touch — 31-year-old make-up artist Kannan Rajamanickam, a third-generation Malaysian Tamil, has garnered attention across the globe for his ability to recreate iconic looks of actresses and transform runway models into celebrity doppelgängers.
While the self-taught artist’s social media page now has a new wave of followers in the past one month, Kannan tells us that his art was nothing but an antidote to cope during times of despair. “In the wake of the pandemic and the consequent lockdown, the number of assignments and bridal make-up requests I received was below average. For someone who used to take on anything between 16- 20 assignments per month, the hiatus due to the lockdown made me restless and worried,” shares Kannan, whose clientele is across Malaysia, Singapore, India, and Canada.
Innovations in lockdown
During the initial days of the lockdown, despit the slump, he kept hope afloat and even created a ‘tribute’ make-up look — of a trident and stethoscope-wielding model in a goddess attire, donning a white lab coat — in honour of healthcare professionals and frontline workers. “Vela patha kai summa irukuma? (Will the hands that worked hard rest?).
In my case, they didn’t. I wanted to keep going and in the process of engaging myself and improving my skills, I wanted to keep my followers entertained and share something positive. That’s when the idea to recreate looks of actresses struck me,” he tells us. In June, when Kannan shared the first set, from a series of images, of model Marie Dashani Matthews in an orange and green half-sari, traditional jewellery, and braided hair decked with orange flowers — a recreation of the look of actor Shriya Saran from Azhagiya Tamizh Magan — little did he know that the response would be phenomenal.
“It took me over two hours to create this look and it was worth it! Positive comments appreciating the attempt, and suggestions to contour the model’s face to match the features of the actor poured in. I was floored by how observant the followers were. I spent a couple of days figuring out the contouring technique to deliver a near-perfect look of the actor. And within a few days, I was able to achieve it!” he shares.
Model makeover
Next up was Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s look from Devdas, which also received appreciation. But it was Nayanthara’s looks from films Viswasam (featuring model Gayaathri Purnachandran), Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy (model Visha Sree) and Kaashmora (model Nila) that bowled everyone over. “I wasn’t aware of anyone with a resemblance to the lady superstar. Even if I did find someone, I didn’t know if I’d be able to recreate her look. She has unique features. But I spread the word and the hunt for the model led me to someone who shares her looks.
In a short span, the costumes were stitched, the jewellery was sourced and I was ready to wield the brush to create the look. But I was nervous,” he admits, adding that he was unsure about the output even while doing the make-up. But several dabs of make-up and a few hours of contouring later, he was convinced that he was on the route to success. Ever since he shared the stunning images on his Instagram page, Kannan has become a name to reckon with.
“When I started as a make-up artist, I was frowned upon. There was a stigma around a man being a make-up artist. But I am thankful for all the obstacles, opportunities and experiences that have led me here,” he says, recalling how he had one of his big break when he was presented with the opportunity to style actor Trisha in 2013. “She was brilliant to work with, humble and supportive,” he gushes. “I was in my early 20s, a passionate dancer and theatre artiste, who used to work with the Malaysian government, educating the rural population on different laws and programmes through the arts.
When my father fell ill, I had to give up my passion to take care of my family. My innate interest in art pushed me to position myself as a full-time make-up artist and make a career,” shares Kannan, who conducts both offline and online make-up workshops. He is currently working on his pet project ‘The Road to Semman Salai’, where he will be introducing the art of make-up to people who’ve never used it in the past. “I will be focusing on women living in the countryside, who’ve never had the chance to indulge in make-up for different socio-economic reasons,” he shares.
For details, visit Instagram page @kannanraajamanickam