Despite the ill effects involved, more actors seem to be willing to go under the knife to get those perfect looks for extending their careers.
Cosmetic procedures are catching up fast in the Telugu film industry. (iStock)
Cosmetic surgeries, implants, and Botox are catching up fast in the Telugu film industry. These cosmetic procedures seem to have become almost a necessity in recent times — for both sexes.
While few actors in Bollywood have openly admitted that they have been under the knife, the South actors consider it blasphemy to admit that their assets have been altered.
Most actors lead highly stressful lives due to long work hours and irregular shoot timings, which usually result in anxiety and intense mood swings.
This, in turn, takes a heavy toll on their looks, especially in the case of heroines whose career span is quite short when compared to their male counterparts, for obvious reasons.
“Thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic, now there is no guarantee that an actress would bag her next project; even if she does, no one knows if the film will succeed at the box office. As a result, most of them are popping antidepressants and working on their physical attributes to gain confidence,” an associate director in Tollywood told South First, on condition of anonymity.
A woman receiving Botox injection on lips. (iStock)
For instance, there are an equal number of admirers and non-admirers for someone talented like Sai Pallavi, who stormed the Telugu film industry with her not-so-clear skin.
The actor seems to have taken the feedback seriously; it is reported that she went through a laser treatment for the skin.
It’s no secret that the South, especially the Telugu film industry, loves the glitz and glamour; people do appreciate raw or realistic cinema but not to a large extent.
Aware of these facts, cosmetic clinics are signing up high-profile actors as clients who are willing to get some cosmetic changes to their bodies to extend their careers by a few years.
A doctor at a super speciality hospital in Hyderabad noted that once an actress came to their clinic for implants.
Breast implants are one of the common cosmetic procedures opted for by actresses to get those perfect looks. (iStock)
“We did tell her that her health might get affected in the long run if she has implants in her body. But she had already made up her mind and insisted that the implants are important for her self-esteem!”
It isn’t as if the actors are not aware. The clinics these days offer a variety of cosmetic surgeries: Breast augmentation, facelift, liposuction, lip augmentation, nose reshaping, chemical skin peel, and eye fillers, to name a few.
However, only a few actors can afford to get them done and repeat the process because it’s, after all, a costly affair! Even procedures like dental correction and chemical peels are of high maintenance.
Be it Sridevi’s enlarged upper lip or her daughter Jahnvi Kapoor’s boob job, every piece of information is available on the Internet nowadays.
In 2020, Shruti Haasan admitted that she went for nose surgery. On her social media account, she clarified that she doesn’t propagate plastic surgery and asserted that it was her choice.
Shruthi also requested people not to criticise actors for changing their looks and instead respect their choices.
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Hair transplantation procedure underway. (iStock)
In the case of heroes, most of them suffer from genetic baldness. Some of them do get hair transplants done and a few of them use imported wigs and patches.
A makeup artist, on condition of anonymity, explained that most heroes employ permanent hair stylists so that their info isn’t leaked.
“Only personal stylists know everything about the maintenance of a hero. Indeed, no one is allowed in his caravan when he is getting ready.”
Do fuller lips, a perfect jawline or a curvaceous derriere help an actor get brownie points in his/her career? “Of course, yes,” says a talent manager.
Liposuction is one of the common cosmetic procedures opted by actors. (iStock)
The actors are initially selected based on their profile pics and videos. If they fail to impress the director with the photos, there is no question of an audition (the next stage of selection), he explains.
“All my top talents have got a job (cosmetic surgery) done and it has worked for them. Success is equal to physical beauty.”
He also points out that the Internet is loaded with photos of top Tollywood stars that reveal the corrections they have done before and after venturing into the filmdom.
Many cosmetic clinics in Hyderabad do facial contouring to produce an elfin jawline.
This correspondent was witness to a three-day photoshoot of a Malayali actress who was finally not selected because her cheeks were not high and her chin was not defined! The word spread and she never got a film after that.
No wonder you see so many photoshoots of actors flaunting their figures and costumes every other day on websites hoping to bag a project.
Dr Indumati Uddaraju of Akshar Wellness Centre and Naritva Womanhood Project. (Facebook)
Dr Indumati Uddaraju, Founder of Akshar Wellness Centre and Naritva Womanhood Project in Hyderabad, who has a huge clientele that includes celebrities, is very candid in her inputs. She says that it is fine if an actor prefers such treatments but the real threat is when people follow them blindly.
“Do you think all these stars consume soft drinks and ice creams they endorse? When young girls want to follow them, the cosmetic clinics don’t educate them and the girls don’t follow the doctor’s advice. Once the effect of Botox or fillers vanishes, you have to get it done again. And it’s a vicious cycle,” she told South First.
She further states that the chemical peels will destroy a layer of the skin. The new cells are not equipped with a defence mechanism. But, when it comes to the surface, you are advised not to go out for a certain period.
What about sunscreen? “The sun is there and so are you. In between, there is a sunblock cream. The skin will not sense the sun. You are mimicking your brain by sensing the sunlight. Your body will not release the hormones necessary to protect you from the strong rays,” Dr Indumathi explains.
When we water the roots, the leaves will automatically remain green and healthy. But dermatologists usually water the branches and leaves which won’t be effective, she said.
Rhinoplasty is a plastic surgery performed on the nose. (iStock)
She insists on maintaining a clean gut which is possible through proper diet and lifestyle.
“Our skin is directly related to our gut. Most actresses are in denial that whatever condition they are in is due to some disease. Whatever we eat can be applied to the skin. Skin is a tissue that absorbs everything. Even if it is absorbed, the body can absorb, process and eliminate it,” Dr Indumathi elucidates.
Any chemical applied to the skin will go into the bloodstream. A research study says that hair straightening leads to uterine cancer. “Even lipstick has chemicals that disrupt our hormones. You can never get exact colours from natural sources,” she adds.
Well, while the poster boy and porcelain princess looks do help in the business of the film, the longevity of one’s career, however, depends on the content and collection of movies. Isn’t it?!
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