This Kerala dentist crafted Mammootty's terrifying Bramayugam look

Actor Mammootty's spellbinding portrayal of Kodumon Potti in the horror thriller Bramayugam left audiences awestruck. The performance also recently won him his fourth National Award. One factor that many viewers, including renowned reviewer Anupama Chopra, recalled from the movie was how terrifying the character's teeth were. 

The mastermind behind the decayed, stained teeth that defined the character Koduman Potty was Dr Cherian Abraham, a veteran dentist and 'smile design' specialist with three decades of experience in the field. Previously, he had also designed teeth for Mammootty's character in the film 'Karuthapakshikal.' The doctor hails from Koothattukulam in Kerala. 

A personal call from the megastar
The collaboration was born out of long-standing trust. Dr Cherian was the legendary actor's first choice when it came to designing custom dental prosthetics. Mammootty personally telephoned the dentist with a unique request: he wanted a set of teeth that looked absolutely hideous, rugged, and perfectly reflected the decaying malice of his sinister character.

Crafting the perfect grin of terror
Designing dental prosthetics for the big screen is a delicate art. Dr Cherian spent nine days meticulously crafting two custom sets of teeth. The primary challenge was achieving a realistic fit; conventional prosthetics often push the lips out and look artificially bulky. To prevent this, Dr Cherian designed ultra-thin veneers that hugged the actor's natural gumline seamlessly. The actor first tried them on while shooting for another project in Thrissur and immediately declared them perfect.

Adding the stains of decay
To achieve the final, revolting look of Kodumon Potti, the clean dental plates were later stained with dark colours to mimic decades of rot. Throughout the filming of Bramayugam, these delicate prosthetics were carefully preserved, managed, and applied by Mammootty's trusted personal makeup artist and secretary, George. For Dr Cherian, seeing his handiwork contribute to one of modern cinema's most celebrated horror transformations has been a deeply rewarding moment in his 30-year career.

What is smile design?
While Dr Cherian designs teeth for movies occasionally, he is also an expert in the field of smile design, a popular procedure that helps people improve and customise their smile, correcting tooth proportions, gum lines and other facial features. According to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, 'Smile Design' is a process by which a person's smile is put together, taking into account various factors like their facial, dental and dentofacial composition. It comes under cosmetic dentistry. These days, AI-powered simulations are also used to design smiles. New platforms are used to generate instant 2D/3D smiles of patients from their photographs.