Sanchita
To pull off a really convincing performance, sometimes you have to push yourself physically, mentally and emotionally. Many Bollywood actors have taken to The Method Acting Mantra to properly get into character and give their most challenging roles justice! Truly, Role Ke Rooh Mai Jhanke Hai!
Method acting is a technique wherein the actors completely immerse themselves into the headspace of the characters, their circumstances and try to imitate them as closely as possible.
The struggle here is REAL for the REEL! Take a look at some of these method acting examples:-
1. Ranveer Singh as Khilji
Ranveer Singh pushed the limits of both mind and body to play the aggressive anti-hero ‘Khilji’ in SLB’s Padmaavat. Be it the rigorous 3 hour workout to look bigger and tougher or delving into his own darkness and negativity to better emulate Khilji. He did do his homework by reading up books on the tyrant to seep into the character’s psyche!
Cutting off all interactions, he isolated himself for days. And then he would storm into the sets with TRUE Khilji mode on, emanating a dark, ruthless aura to ensure no one would dare talk to him. In fact, reacting while still in character, he nearly physically assaulted someone on sets!The transformation had been so deeply embedded, Ranveer had to see a shrink to ‘unbecome’ Khilji!
2. Randeep Hooda as Sarbjit Singh
In Sarbjit, Randeep Hooda’s portrayal of Sarbjit Singh, an Indian national who was detained in Pakistan, was simply haunting. The actor went through a drastic and grueling transformation to achieve that skeletal look – losing 18 kgs in 28 days by surviving on only 500-600 calories per day!
To get further into the character’s pitiable headspace, the actor spent days confining himself into dummy jail with minimum food, chained in heavy handcuffs weighing 2.5 kg on each hand! Along with his body, his character immersion took a serious toll on his mental health as well.
3. Rajkummar Rao as Shaurya
In one of the most challenging roles of his career, Rajkummar Rao left no stone unturned to effectively portray Shaurya in Trapped! In order to accurately emulate a character who is stuck in an apartment without food, water, and electricity, the actor lost weight drastically with a diet of just carrot and coffee!
To make things more realistic in some scenes, he even ate meat for the first time in his life, despite being vegan!
4. Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Ramanna
Nawazuddin Siddiqui fully channeled the depraved psyche of Raman Raghav while playing the serial killer Ramanna in Raman Raghav 2.0. To get into the nitty gritty of a serial killer’s mind, the actor used to frequent lots of dhabas, slum areas, and other seedy places. He even lived for days in a cheap, secluded motel to prepare for the role.
The actor ended up frightening himself! When he had to get hospitalized due to falling sick in the unhygienic filming conditions – his wife found him mumbling dialogues from the film in a semi-conscious daze.
5. Ranbir Kapoor as Sanju
Ranbir Kapoor as Sanjay Dutt in Sanju was spectacular! Eerily enough, he WAS more Sanju than Sanju himself! He was so immersed in the character, that he was able to perfectly catch Sanjay Dutt’s mannerisms and body language – he could Talk Sanju, Walk Sanju, Laugh Sanju!
The actor would continuously pester Sanjay Dutt, even call him in the middle of the night, before the shooting to ask him what he went through during a particular incident in his life.
Well, when lines between the reel and real blur….it does result in some phenomenal performances, doesn’t it?
