‘They Threatened to Attack Me’: Makeup Artist Namrata Soni Opens Up on Industry Struggles

Bollywood's famous makeup artist Namrata Soni recently opened up about serious threats and discrimination during her early days in the industry. Many celebrities stood by her during those days. 

Speaking to ANI, Namrata Soni explained that she had to work secretly in a vanity van amid opposition from the male-dominated makeup union. She said that attempts were made to prevent her from working on set and that producers were threatened with fines. She said that at that time, makeup work in the industry was mostly done by men and hairdressing by women, so having a female makeup artist was unacceptable to many.

According to her, the situation became so bad that she received phone calls to her home threatening to attack her on the street if she didn't quit. She subsequently fought a legal battle, which reached the Supreme Court and proved decisive in opening the way for women to work as makeup artists.

Namrata Soni explained that during this period of struggle, many prominent artists came forward to support her. Stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Sonam Kapoor, Preity Zinta, Sameera Reddy, and Karan Johar not only praised her work but also continuously encouraged her. According to Namrata, a prominent actor even called the union directly and explicitly asked for women to work on set.

Namrata explained that during the film "Om Shanti Om," someone tried to replace her. Director Farah Khan took a firm stance on this, making it clear that if an artist can't perform at her level, there will be no change. Namrata described this support as a turning point in her career.

During her nearly twenty-year-long career, Namrata Soni has worked with a host of stars, from the red carpet to big-budget films. She got an IIFA Award for Shah Rukh Khan's Om Shanti Om look. She was also honored with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for her services to makeup artistry.