It was all about who would look like a million bucks. When it comes to putting their best face forward for the red carpet and the flashbulbs, actresses leave nothing behind. They demand and obtain what they want in the one-upmanship of the looks department.

Kareena Kapoor and Madhuri Dixit were both keen to have Bollywood make up artist Mickey Contractor apply his deft strokes for the People’s Choice Awards. The event was held on Saturday night at Film City. But Mickey could oblige only one and it was Saif Ali Khan’s Begum who managed to have Mickey do her make up.

Says an onlooker, “Mickey was heard talking about his dilemma in Gujarati about choosing Kareena over Madhuri. At events he prefers to do the make up of only one actress. He is not keen to multi-task.”

Adds the onlooker, “Everyone is aware of frayed nerves before a big event. Costumes and make up is one region where no one wants to rub any actress off. It often leads to hushed whispers that do the rounds of vanity vans.”

Madhuri had recorded her dance performance a day earlier — on Friday for the awards show. Mickey had done her make up for her act. So the actress assumed that he would also apply his magic tools on the following day as well for the red carpet and awards gala.

But as the onlooker states, “Madhuri was taken aback when she was told that Mickey would be doing Kareena’s make up on the big day. She kept telling him that he could do hers as well as Kareena’s make up. But he preferred to stick to the newlywed Bebo.”

He was apparently overheard saying that as Kareena had told him in advance that she wanted him on the awards day, it was a first come-first serve situation. While on the other hand Madhuri felt that as he had done his make up for her performacce a day earlier, he would do it for the main event as well.

Mads had apparently fetched a lot of compliments for her make up on that day and wanted to do a repeat the next day as well. But Bebo certainly spoilt her flawless act on the red carpet.