{
  "type": "article",
  "title": "Meghna Gulzar Reveals Father Gulzar Made Actors Wash Their Faces On Set If They Wore Heavy Makeup",
  "summary": "During the promotion of the film 'Daira', director Meghna Gulzar shared fascinating anecdotes about her father Gulzar, highlighting his unique and strict filmmaking methods on set.",
  "content": "Actress Kareena Kapoor and actor Prithviraj Sukumaran are currently drawing significant attention for their upcoming cinematic project, 'Daira'. Directed by Meghna Gulzar, the film marks a special family collaboration as her father, the legendary writer and director Gulzar, has also contributed to the venture. Gulzar joined hands with Yash Keswani and Seema Aggarwal to pen the screenplay for 'Daira'. During a recent promotional campaign for the film, Meghna Gulzar shared several intriguing and lesser-known details about her father's distinct style of working on set.\n\nThe Sweets Incentive for Outstanding Performances\nHaving spent decades in the Indian film industry, Gulzar has developed his own unique methods of encouraging actors and crew members during shoots. He explained that he used a very distinct approach to boost the morale of everyone on set. Whenever someone delivered an exceptional shot, he rewarded them on the spot with a small treat. Gulzar recalled that he always kept toffees in his pocket to hand out to actors and technicians who performed exceptionally well. This simple gesture not only lifted spirits but also fostered a positive and cheerful working environment for the entire team.\n\nUncompromising Stance on Natural Aesthetics\nWhile Gulzar was known for his warm nature and the habit of distributing sweets, he maintained a highly disciplined and strict atmosphere when it came to the authenticity of his characters. He strongly believed that actors must appear completely natural on screen to connect with the audience. If an actor arrived on set with excessive cosmetics, Gulzar would insist they wash their face before any filming could begin. In his view, realistic portrayals hold much more emotional weight and leave a lasting impression on viewers compared to heavily made-up faces.\n\nMeghna Gulzar Recalls Humorous Set Anecdotes\nElaborating on her father's strict guidelines regarding realistic looks, Meghna Gulzar recalled how he would promptly send actresses back to their vanity vans if their makeup looked too heavy for the scene. She playfully mentioned that actor Sharmila Tagore would surely remember this aspect of his directing style. Responding to his daughter's revelation, Gulzar added in his signature witty manner that whenever someone turned up with too much makeup, he would start the conversation by telling them to wash up first.\n\nRewriting Scenes to Discard Heavy Makeup\nMeghna further revealed an ingenious tactic her father employed when actresses resisted toning down their cosmetics. She explained that Gulzar would sometimes quickly rewrite a scene to include a sequence where the character is shown washing her face. This meant that removing the heavy makeup became an actual part of the film's narrative. The veteran writer added that once actresses caught on to this creative strategy, they would voluntarily request an extra ten minutes before the camera rolled to wash off the excess makeup themselves.\n\nWhy this happened\nWhy It HappenedBehind Gulzar's practices of distributing sweets and demanding the removal of heavy makeup were his deep-seated cinematic values and creative philosophy.\n\n• Commitment to Realism: He wanted his characters to look completely authentic so that the audience could form an emotional connection. Heavy cosmetics stripped away the natural essence of the characters, which he strongly avoided.\n• Encouraging the Team: Despite being highly disciplined, he believed in maintaining a cheerful atmosphere on set. His unique practice of handing out toffees filled the cast and crew with fresh enthusiasm.\n• Fostering a Positive Culture: By rewarding both actors and technicians equally, he created an inclusive and respectful working environment on his film sets.\n\nQuestions & Answers\n\n1. Who wrote the story of the film 'Daira'?\nThe story of the film 'Daira' has been co-written by Gulzar alongside Yash Keswani and Seema Aggarwal.\n\n2. Who is directing the upcoming movie 'Daira'?\nThe movie is being directed by Gulzar's daughter, Meghna Gulzar.\n\n3. Why did Gulzar ask actors to wash their faces on set?\nHe believed that characters should look natural on screen to leave a lasting impact on the audience, which is why he was strictly against heavy makeup.\n\n4. How did Gulzar reward good performances during shooting?\nHe kept toffees in his pocket and distributed them to actors and technicians who delivered excellent shots.\n\n5. What creative tactic did Gulzar use if an actress refused to tone down her makeup?\nHe would modify the script to include a scene where the actress's character had to wash her face, making makeup removal an actual part of the story.",
  "url": "https://trendkia.com/en/bollywood/meghna-gulzar-ka-khulasa-seta-para-jyada-saje-dhaje-kalakaron-se-munha-dhulava-dete-the-pita-gulzar-31341",
  "category": "Bollywood",
  "publishedAt": "2026-09-12",
  "tags": [
    "Daira",
    "Gulzar",
    "Meghna Gulzar",
    "Kareena Kapoor",
    "Prithviraj Sukumaran",
    "Bollywood News"
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "site": "TrendKia"
}