From CA to Celebrity Makeup Artist. How Ojas Rajani dealt with homophobic reactions while building a successful career.

• Ojas Rajani is a Chartered Accountant (CA) turned celebrity makeup artist and the founder of Rajani Makeup and Hair Academy.
• As a creative person, sitting behind a desk and working didn’t appeal to her.
• Ojas has also acted in Hollywood and Tamil films. She has received rich praise for her role in the S. Shankar-directed movie  ‘I’.
• She braved many battles after coming out as gay way back in the 1990s, but her self-confidence and her parents’ support helped her through the journey.

Growing up gay in the 1990s

From childhood, I was good at academics but loved experimenting with makeup.

At my aunt’s wedding, I did her makeup also. Not to toot my own horn, but I did a fantastic job, that’s what the guests said.

They were shocked and said things like “My God! How did he do such an amazing job at this young age, that too without professional training?”