Prosthetics Designer Soamaa Goswami Crafts New Looks for Tollywood Films in Hyderabad
Prosthetics and character designer Soamaa Goswami has expanded her work into the Telugu film industry, currently designing character looks for several high-profile projects filming in Hyderabad. Transitioning from her early career as a dancer in Saroj Khan's troupe, Goswami is now leading the look design for upcoming South Indian films including Rashmika Mandanna’s Mysaa, Prashanth Neel’s Dragon, and Hanu Raghavapudi’s Fauji.
In Hyderabad, Goswami is collaborating with actress Rashmika Mandanna for Mysaa, where Mandanna plays a revenge-driven action character. According to Goswami, the role requires a significant departure from Mandanna's typically soft and delicate image, involving extensive makeup for blood and wounds.
Additionally, Goswami has been working on Hanu Raghavapudi's film Fauji for nearly two years, continuously designing new looks as new actors join the cast. She is also working on the film Dragon with director Prashanth Neel, as well as an upcoming movie starring Gopichand, where the actor will be seen in a completely different look.
Reflecting on her transition to Tollywood, Goswami noted that the South Indian film industry operates differently from Bollywood, which typically follows a more structured system for technical departments like hair and makeup. However, she highlighted the massive scale of filmmaking in the region and the respect directors show for creative talent.
Goswami's career in makeup began in 2013 when she realized dancing was not a viable long-term career. She transitioned to prosthetics after assisting British prosthetics artist Clover Wootton. Under Wootton, she worked on major Bollywood productions such as Sanju and Chhapaak. Her first independent project was the film Pari, which launched her career as an independent character and prosthetics designer.
Over her career, Goswami has built a diverse portfolio, including work on Rocket Boys, The Railway Men, Amar Singh Chamkila, and the film Alpha starring Alia Bhatt and Sharvari. She described her work on The Railway Men as highly emotional due to its basis on real-world events, and recalled the challenge of transforming actor Diljit Dosanjh into the raw, village-boy persona of Chamkila for director Imtiaz Ali.
