National award-winning makeup artist Vikram Gaikwad dies at 61

National award-winning makeup artist Vikram Gaikwad, known for his work in movies such as 83, Uri: The Surgical Strike and Ponniyin Selvan, died on Saturday in Mumbai at a hospital, his younger brother said. He was 61.

“He was hospitalised at Hiranandani Hospital in Powai three days ago due to BP issues. He passed away today at around 8:30 am. His BP was going low, and we were not able to revive him.

"He was quite well when he was admitted. We were not expecting that he would pass away so soon,” Dr Prasanna Paranjpe, Gaikwad's younger brother, told PTI.

Gaikwad's work spans across Hindi, Marathi, and South Indian films such as 83, Shakuntala Devi, Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior, Sanju, Dangal, PK, 3 Idiots, Omkara, Balgandharva, Katyar Kaljat Ghusali, Ponniyin Selvan, and O Kadhal Kanmani.

He won the National Award for best makeup artist in 2012 for Vidya Balan-starrer Dirty Picture, followed by another win for Bengali movie Jaatishwar in 2014.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde condoled his death in a post on X, saying he brought life into characters with his artistry.

“National Award-winning, renowned makeup artist Vikram Gaikwad passed away today, leaving us in sorrow. With his departure, we have lost a magician who breathed life into characters on screen through his artistry in makeup.

"His mastery lay in effortlessly turning the impossible into reality, bringing to life the characters envisioned by directors through his makeup artistry,” he wrote.

Gaikwad's last rites will be performed at Shivaji Park crematorium in Dadar.