Varun Dhawan to Ranveer Singh: Actors going mad over roles

From going into hiding to taking cricket lessons, Bollywood actors have gone to bizarre lengths to prepare for their roles

Several Bollywood actors try to push the envelope nowadays while portraying challenging roles. To do justice to the characters, they do extensive research and preparation.



Be it going through intensive physical training to play a sportsperson, or going into self-imposed isolation to understand a role better, we look at some actors who have gone the extra mile to look like the character they portray.



Aamir Khan





Known to be a perfectionist, Aamir learnt Bhojpuri for his last release. He picked up important words, phrases and practised pronunciations. Rumours are rife that he might be playing a wrestler in his next, and for that, the actor has made several changes in his diet.



Shahid Kapoor





To focus on his role in his next, Udta Punjab, Shahid is likely to stay away from the public eye (barring a few commitments that he has to fulfil) for a few days.



Varun Dhawan





For his film Badlapur, which is a thriller Varun took inspiration from Hollywood. He watched Sean Penn films like 21 Grams (2003) and Dead Man Walking (1995) to understand grim and compelling films in a better way.



Ranveer Singh

Before he started shooting for Bajirao Mastani, Ranveer moved out of his house for a month. He cut off from people, the Internet, cell phones and anything that could cause distraction. He’d also gone bald for the role.



Sushant Singh Rajput

For his film, which is a biopic on cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Sushant underwent intensive cricket training for four months.

From practising with a coach for about eight hours a day, to making changes in his diet and getting into the right shape, Sushant has been working closely with director Neeraj Pandey to understand the nuances of the game and the personality of Dhoni.