Deft hands behind grease-paint

ROURKELA: In the world of theatre, Bata Krishna Swain is widely regarded as a stalwart make-up artist, and rightly so, after a successful career spanning five  decades.At 81, Swain’s zeal for his passion has not waned, which makes him the most sought after make-up man in the industry.  Swain’s tryst with the make-up dates back to his association with Krishna Chitralaya in Cuttack, where he learnt the finer nuances of make-up before relocating from Badalhanga in Jagatsinghpur district to Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) in 1962.RSP’s policy of promoting art and culture helped Swain’s ascent as a make-up artist. He travelled with local theatre groups across the country, imbibing all possible tricks of the trade and earning accolades for his work in the process.Swain recalls how he assembled a personal make-up kit comprising vermilion, zinc oxide powder, glycerin etc. Superior cosmetics in recent years have made the job easier, he adds.Swain has worked with artistes of the order of Bhawani Panda, Durga Das, Akshya Das, Pitambar Puhan and Kedar Acharya, who hold his work in high esteem. He retired from RSP in 1992. The veteran artist has no regrets in working behind the curtains, where his individual efforts go unnoticed.  Currently, Swain is busy writing ‘Manch Darpan,’ a book on local artists since 1960, slated to be released by September.