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Shah Rukh Khan, Salman 'stood by my side' when female make-up artists were banned; Namrata Soni says Katrina Kaif and more were willing to fight for her
Makeup artist Namrata Soni has recalled the time when the industry union had banned female MUAs. She revealed that it was superstars Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan who stood by her back then.
Bollywood has always had each other’s back in the toughest times— be it crew standing for the cast, makers backing their staffs, and actors fighting for backend artists. This is what makes Hindi cinema a wholesome industry to grow and thrive in. Makeup artist Namrata Soni is one of them who recently opened up about how she was also backed by A-listers including Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan when a ban was imposed on female make-up artists in Bollywood.
Speaking to ANI, Namrata recalled when she used to fight with the union to be able to work following a ban on women as MUA. “I didn't know how to do it. I remember I used to work at the Film City and my parents would get threatening phone calls saying 'If your daughter doesn't stop being a make-up artist, we're going to cut off her hands'," said Soni mentioning that all of it happened despite India singing secularism loud with a woman president.
Namrata recalled her scary experience of dealing with the union as the makers who gave her work told her to hide in the vanity car when those threateners came on set. Luckily when the MUA decided to stand up for herself gradually, several A-listers came to her rescue and stood by her. “I was very blessed and very lucky that I got to work with amazing people like Farah Khan, Karan Johar, Sonam Kapoor, Sameera Reddy, Katrina Kaif who supported me,” Namrata said.
The celebs would say out loud, “No, we want to work with her. We are willing to support and willing to fight with her when the union comes on set.” Soni continued, “I was very lucky. I had people like Shah Rukh and Salman who stood by my side...I feel very blessed. I'm glad that I fought.” It was in 2014 when the Supreme Court of India legally lifted all kinds of restrictions on women in the cinema workforce.
Namrata further expressed her gratitude for the removal of the ban and for the industry to have opened its arms and accepted as well as fought for the rights of women MUAs.
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