We first saw the works of this makeup artiste when a teaser to his South Indian take on Netflix’s Heeramandi aesthetic was doing the rounds on Instagram. Our curiosity was piqued and we got in touch with Kannan Raajamanickam — a makeup ‘God’ who shuttles between Malaysia and India, catering to an eager clientele of celebs and doing several makeup artistry workshops across both countries. We catch up with Kannan to find out everything that went into the now viral shoot.
How did the idea to do this project come about?
Inspired by Heeramandi, I observed many others showcasing their skills and concepts by taking Heeramandi as a reference. I aspired to create something unique that not only preserves the cultural relevance of Heeramandi but also incorporates my love for the South Indian culture by fusing them in such a way, that both are respected but also have enough gravitas.
What is the kind of research that went into coming up with these looks?
Creating a project that blends the cultural relevance of Heeramandi with South Indian elements required in-depth research and a thoughtful approach. This involved exploring the materials, colours, patterns and craftsmanship unique to both regions. The research that went into developing these looks was primarily focused on Heeramandi’s historical significance, which included understanding the art forms, music, dance and social dynamics, as well as analysing South Indian cultural and artistic traditions such as classical dances, carnatic music, traditional costumes and art forms such as Thanjavur paintings. Juxtaposing each of these, we finally reached a look that did justice to the concept, but paid enough respect to our South Indian culture.
Considering that we don’t necessarily have the tawaif culture in South India, how did you draw parallels?
Drawing meaningful parallels between Heeramandi’s tawaif culture and South Indian traditions, despite their differences, requires recognising shared cultural significance and artistic elements to create a project that honours and celebrates both heritages. Tawaifs or women involved in ancient tades of pleasure and South Indian performers who might have also been involved in such trades — that had a lot of respect then — possess a rich musical and dance legacy. Women hold significant roles in both the Heeramandi and South Indian cultural expressions. By incorporating visual aspects from that era and South Indian art into stage design, costumes and props — a visually unified and rich aesthetic that honours both cultures was created.
Have you worked on such creative shoots before?
Yes. I have worked on several creative conceptual shoots before. Some of the themes I have explored include creating looks inspired by the epic characters and stories from the Ramayana, designing makeup that captures the essence of Lord Krishna and his divine narratives as well as developing styles for the significant Hindu festival of Maha Shivaratri dedicated to Lord Shiva and Parvati. Each of these projects has allowed me to explore and express rich cultural traditions through makeup artistry.
Make up has never been considered a man’s job, but in ancient Indian culture and in our film industry — it’s almost always been a male bastion. How were you able to enter this industry and carve your own niche at a time when it is often exclusively looked at as a feminine pursuit?
Entering a field traditionally dominated by one gender initially was indeed difficult. It took a lot of dedication, commitment, sacrifice, self-confidence, encouragement from friends and family and endurance to create trust with clients at first. Upon working with diverse group of clients with varying demands and preferences, I think my emphasis on professionalism, punctuality, reliability and flexibility are what created a niche for me.
What’s next for you as a makeup artiste?
As a makeup artist, I hope to broaden my horizons by developing cosmetic products that addresses the constraints and needs of the present makeup industry. I also hope to venture into film productions that emphasise our cultural heritage and create meaningful work that honours our cultural legacies.
CREDITS:
Photography: Venkat Bala
Concept & makeup: Kannan Raajamanickam
Styling: Thivyan Jayareuben
Models: Sharmilla K Bala Murugan, Shamini Ramasamy, Shalani Arumugam, Harveen Kour & Keerthanaah Parthipan
Email: romal@newindianexpress.com
X: @elromal