National Award-Winning Makeup Artist Vikram Gaikwad Passes Away In Mumbai; Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde Expresses Condolences

Mumbai: The Indian film industry is mourning the loss of legendary makeup artist Vikram Gaikwad, who passed away in Mumbai earlier on Saturday. A National Award winner and a true maestro of his craft, Gaikwad brought countless characters to life with his transformative makeup artistry across Hindi, Marathi, and Bengali cinema.

Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde expressed his heartfelt condolences, calling Vikram Gaikwad a "magician who brought characters to life on the silver screen." In a statement, Shinde paid tribute to Gaikwad’s immense contributions, stating that his passing is a profound loss to Indian cinema and the artistic community.

Gaikwad’s work spans include the top Bollywood films like Sardar, Thugs of Hindostan, Panipat, Uri: The Surgical Strike, Dangal, PK, and Bell Bottom. In Marathi cinema, he elevated historical dramas such as Balgandharva, Kashinath Ghanekar, Lokmanya, and Fatteshikast. His work in the iconic stage play Jaanta Raja, based on the life of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, remains etched in cultural memory.

Over his career, Gaikwad received the National Award for Best Makeup Artist seven times, first winning in 2013 for a Bengali film. He was widely known for his ability to transform actors into historical and iconic figures with stunning realism, becoming a crucial behind-the-scenes force in Indian cinema.

Other actors and Minister for Information Technology of Maharashtra leader Ashish Shelar, also paid tribute, calling Gaikwad a “sensitive and skilled artist” whose work made characters unforgettable. “Each character he created was a testament to his love for art,” Shelar said in a heartfelt message.

Vikram Gaikwad’s last rites will be performed today at 4:30 PM at Shivaji Park Crematorium in Dadar, according to an ABP Majha report. His legacy will live on through the characters he helped immortalise and the inspiration he leaves behind for future generations of makeup artists.