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Being a celebrity requires you to look your best at all times, which isn't easy and usually requires a lot of time, effort and dedication. Certain movie roles also demand that actors change their appearance or undergo incredible body transformations. While changing their appearance for a film isn't new, it’s when they undergo a massive transformation for their character that often leaves audiences spellbound. Whether they are losing or gaining weight, these actors have done an outstanding job of immersing themselves in their roles. So, here’s a list of Bollywood actors who underwent some of the greatest body transformations in recent times.
1. Amitabh Bachchan
Amitabh Bachchan has taken on challenging roles that required a massive transformation not once but twice. Paa, R. Balki's 2009 blockbuster, is the first. Big B portrayed a child with a rare disorder called Progeria in the comedy-drama in which his character ages in the opposite direction. The superstar underwent five hours of makeup and prosthetics each day of the shoot to look the part.
Following that, for Gulabo Sitabo, the veteran actor would wait three hours for the makeup and prosthetics team to transform him into his character Mirza. Shoojit Sircar directed the film, and the whole Gulabo Sitabo cast and crew praised the actor’s dedication to the project.
2. Deepika Padukone
Deepika Padukone played the protagonist in Meghna Gulzar's Chhapaak, which was based on the real-life story of acid attack survivor Laxmi Agarwal. Despite being claustrophobic, Deepika is said to have sat in the makeup chair for several hours to get her heavy prosthetics done. She wanted her character to look as authentic as possible on the big screen.
3. Farhan Akhtar
Toofaan is known as one of the best sports drama films in Indian cinema. The movie was directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and written by Prasoon Joshi. Farhan Akhtar carries the entire film on his shoulders and puts on a one-man show for the audience. Farhan underwent one of the greatest body transformations for his role as a boxer in the film, gaining 15 kgs in six weeks. He posted a picture collage on his Instagram account, showing his weight loss journey from 69 kgs to 85 kgs and back to 76 kgs.
4. Rajkummar Rao
Rajkummar Rao has a reputation as a method actor in the Hindi film industry. Rao spent 22 days on a diet of just one cup of black coffee and two carrots each day to prepare for his role in Trapped. The actor later gained 11 kgs by bingeing on sweets, greasy and fatty foods for his role in Bose: Dead/Alive.
5. Aamir Khan
Aamir Khan gained 96 kgs and a pot belly for his role as Mahavir Singh Phogat in Dangal. He slimmed down to 68 kgs in five months and gained six-pack abs to play a younger version of the same character. Despite being praised for his dedication, the actor stated that such drastic body changes were unhealthy and advised fans not to be influenced by them.
6. Randeep Hooda
Sarbjit is one of the most famous characters played by Randeep Hooda in his illustrious career. The movie is based on the life of Sarabjit Singh, an Indian farmer who was imprisoned in Pakistan for over two decades. Randeep had to lose a lot of weight for this role. He lost 18 kgs in 28 days under the supervision of experts.
7. Priyanka Chopra
Priyanka Chopra has come a long way to become one of India's top actresses. Her performances have also gained critical recognition in Hollywood. The actress played Mary Kom in the Olympic boxer’s biopic. Priyanka underwent extensive training and body transformation to put herself in the shoes of a professional boxer.
8. Bhumi Pednekar
Bhumi Pednekar played an overweight girl for her debut role in Dum Laga Ke Haisha. She gained more than 20 kgs in six months. Bhumi went all in – eating butter chicken, dal makhani and other fatty foods regularly and earned rightful praise for owning her character. After the movie was complete, she lost 33 kgs in just under four months by working out regularly and eating homemade food.
Photo: Instagram/bollywood movies & IMDB