14 Hours For Madhavan, Five For SRK! Gruelling Make-Up Behind Indian Stars’ Film Transformations
From R Madhavan’s 14-hour preparation to SRK’s ‘Fan’ makeover, revisit the demanding make-up transformations behind memorable Indian film characters.
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A startling screen transformation can take seconds for an audience to register. For the actor wearing it, the working day may already be several hours old. Before the lights come on, there are moulds to fit, facial appliances to blend, wigs to secure and layers of ageing to perfect. Eating becomes complicated, heat becomes an enemy and an innocent itch can turn into a test of self-control. Then, after the final shot, comes another lengthy appointment: taking everything off.
Chetan Hansraj offered a fresh reminder on November 11, revealing that his Raja Mali appearance in Nitesh Tiwari’s ‘Ramayana’ required four hours of make-up every day. Behind that imposing figure was a painstaking collaboration with artist Virginia Holmes and her team.
From R Madhavan’s marathon look preparation to Shah Rukh Khan’s patience-testing ‘Fan’ makeover, these transformations demanded considerably more than a new hairstyle. Here are 18 remarkable examples.
1. R Madhavan - ‘Rocketry: The Nambi Effect’
R Madhavan’s transformation into scientist Nambi Narayanan came with a formidable number: 14 hours in the chair. In a statement reported by IANS, he recalled roughly two days of intensive preparation involving 14-hour stretches. This was concentrated work on getting the look right, rather than a claim that every filming day began with a 14-hour application.
The resemblance was only part of the challenge. R Madhavan also had to capture the older Narayanan’s walk, bearing and personality, and recalled the scientist’s amusement at seeing his screen double. Released on July 1, 2022, ‘Rocketry’ was directed by Madhavan himself, with Simran playing his wife and Shah Rukh Khan and Suriya making appearances in different language versions.
2. Danish Iqbal - ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’
For Danish Iqbal, becoming the ailing Bade Sahab, the film’s depiction of Dawood Ibrahim, meant nine hours of application and another three for removal. He gave those figures to Variety India, describing an exhausting process that required considerable mental preparation.
In a separate NDTV interview, Danish recalled five or six people working on him, difficulty breathing comfortably and restrictions on eating once the transformation was complete. He relied largely on liquids and used his physical exhaustion to inform the character’s weakened condition. Aditya Dhar’s film, released on March 19, 2026, stars Ranveer Singh alongside Sara Arjun, Sanjay Dutt, R Madhavan and Arjun Rampal.
3. Shah Rukh Khan - ‘Fan’
Shah Rukh Khan played both superstar Aryan Khanna and his obsessive young admirer Gaurav in Maneesh Sharma’s ‘Fan’, released on April 15, 2016. Becoming Gaurav required approximately four to five hours of daily make-up, with Greg Cannom’s prosthetic work complemented by visual effects.
The uncomfortable part continued after the transformation. Heat and sweat made wearing the appliances difficult, while scratching his face was hardly a simple option. In behind-the-scenes footage, SRK joked about rarely sitting still for five hours unless he was unwell. The thriller also features Shriya Pilgaonkar and Waluscha De Sousa, but its central confrontation depended on making two characters played by the same star feel convincingly different. That distinction began with a very long morning in the chair.
4. Chetan Hansraj - ‘Ramayana’
The opening spectacle of ‘Ramayana’ gave Chetan Hansraj an imposing identity as Raja Mali. According to his November 11 account, Virginia Holmes and her team spent four hours every day creating the character’s ancient, intimidating face before he stepped into the performance space.
Hansraj also credited the movement, action and animation specialists involved, underlining how the finished character emerged from several departments working together. Nitesh Tiwari’s epic opened on November 5, 2026, led by Ranbir Kapoor as Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana and Ravie Dubey as Lakshman.
5. Ranbir Kapoor - ‘Animal’
The elderly version of Ranvijay in ‘Animal’ required a working day that began while most people were still asleep. Cinematographer Amit Roy recalled Ranbir Kapoor arriving at approximately 3 am, spending around six hours getting ready, and filming the scene from about 9 am.
That account concerns the older appearance specifically, rather than Ranbir’s routine throughout the production. Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s film, released on December 1, 2023, also stars Rashmika Mandanna, Anil Kapoor, Bobby Deol and Triptii Dimri. Amid the film’s louder physical changes and confrontations, the ageing work required a quieter kind of endurance: sitting through hours of preparation for a particular stage of the character’s life.
6. Rajkummar Rao - ‘Raabta’
Rajkummar Rao’s guest appearance in ‘Raabta’ involved ageing him into a 324-year-old man. The production reportedly conducted 16 look tests before settling on the final design, with a specialist team from Los Angeles working alongside Zuby Johal’s Dirty Hands Company.
Daily prosthetic application took approximately five to six hours. Freckled skin, tattoos and piercings helped create the appearance, while Rao also worked on posture and voice. Dinesh Vijan’s reincarnation romance, starring Sushant Singh Rajput and Kriti Sanon, released on June 9, 2017. A guest role might suggest a relatively undemanding assignment; Rajkummar’s preparation demonstrates how little screen time can tell us about the effort behind it.
7. Kamal Haasan - ‘Dasavathaaram’
Playing ten characters meant Kamal Haasan could hardly rely on one dependable morning routine. For ‘Dasavathaaram’, visual-effects supervisor Brian Jennings recalled approximately five hours to apply make-up and two to remove it, with demanding sessions recurring across the lengthy production.
Michael Westmore’s make-up work helped distinguish characters across different ages and identities, while the visual-effects team brought several Kamals together within the same scenes. Directed by K S Ravikumar, the Tamil film released on June 13, 2008, with Asin, Mallika Sherawat and Jaya Prada among its principal cast. The finished spectacle made the actor’s versatility visible; the repeated application-and-removal cycle reveals the patience supporting it.
8. Rishi Kapoor - ‘Kapoor & Sons’
Rishi Kapoor’s mischievous, 90-year-old Dadu came with a preparation schedule that was considerably less carefree. In his Filmfare interview, he recalled beginning at 5 am, spending almost five hours having the silicone prosthetics applied, and another hour getting them removed.
Greg Cannom’s design included appliances for the nose, cheeks, jowls and neck. Rishi credited Coonoor’s weather with helping him avoid excessive sweating, though the heavy make-up and contact lenses still made filming demanding. Shakun Batra’s ‘Kapoor & Sons’, released on March 18, 2016, stars Sidharth Malhotra, Fawad Khan, Alia Bhatt, Ratna Pathak Shah and Rajat Kapoor. Its irrepressible grandfather was the result of some extremely disciplined mornings.
9. Sunil Kumar - ‘Stree 2’
Sarkata may have terrorised Chanderi, but becoming him tested Sunil Kumar’s stamina first. The actor told Rediff that application took five hours daily, with another two to three hours needed for removal. He described make-up covering his eyes, ears and mouth.
The transformation also involved markers used to capture movements that were subsequently enhanced through visual effects. Sunil recalled starting make-up around 6 am and continuing work into the evening. Amar Kaushik’s ‘Stree 2’ released on August 15, 2024, starring Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Abhishek Banerjee and Aparshakti Khurana. The supernatural antagonist therefore depended on both digital artistry and a performer putting in long hours beneath the surface.
10. Radikaa Sarathkumar - ‘Thaai Kizhavi’
Radikaa Sarathkumar’s transformation into the formidable Pavunuthaayi required four-and-a-half hours to apply and two-and-a-half to remove. Her existing knee trouble made the routine more demanding, with physiotherapy needed before the lengthy preparation.
There was an emotional reward too. Radikaa recalled showing her transformed appearance to Bharathiraja, who was moved to tears and saw something of his mother in it. Directed by Sivakumar Murugesan, ‘Thaai Kizhavi’ released on February 27, 2026, with Bala Saravanan, Singampuli, Aruldoss and Raichal Rabecca among the ensemble. Vineesh Vijayan handled the prosthetic work. The forceful matriarch’s presence began with a seven-hour application-and-removal commitment around the filming itself.
11. Amitabh Bachchan - ‘Paa’
Transforming Amitabh Bachchan into schoolboy Auro was central to ‘Paa’, with the familiar star disappearing beneath the character’s appearance. Director R Balki told Rediff that the daily work took approximately four to five hours, describing a painstaking process involving specially created skin and painted veins.
Christien Tinsley and Dominie Till developed the transformation after an initial mould-making process. The appearance supported Amitabh Bachchan’s portrayal of a child with progeria, with Abhishek Bachchan playing his father and Vidya Balan his mother. Released on December 4, 2009, the film reversed a famous real-life relationship while asking audiences to invest in an entirely different screen family. Balki recalled Big B accepting the demanding make-up without complaint.
12. Vikram - ‘I’
Vikram’s bodybuilder-turned-model Lingesan passes through radically different appearances in Shankar’s ‘I’. The actor described three to five hours of application, depending on the look, and approximately 90 minutes for removal, with Weta Workshop contributing the elaborate designs.
Producer Aascar Ravichandran separately recalled Vikram spending 12 hours in the make-up room for a particular appearance. That broader figure should be kept distinct from the actor’s application estimate. Released on January 14, 2015, the film stars Vikram and Amy Jackson, with Suresh Gopi and Upen Patel in key roles. Whether portraying physical disfigurement or the fantastical beast of a musical sequence, Vikram had to perform after a preparation process that was already a substantial undertaking.
13. Akshay Kumar - ‘2.0’
Akshay Kumar’s Pakshi Rajan transformation involved approximately four hours of prosthetic application and another hour-and-a-half for removal, according to his trailer-launch account. The endurance test continued inside layers of silicone, plastic and rubber that trapped sweat during filming.
Akshay described restrictions on eating and bathroom breaks, making a liquid diet part of the experience. Shankar’s ‘2.0’, released on November 29, 2018, stars Rajinikanth alongside Akshay and Amy Jackson. The actor’s account adds a particularly uncomfortable detail to the familiar transformation video: once the striking look was ready, he still had to spend the day working inside it.
14. Nawazuddin Siddiqui - ‘Mom’
Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s balding, bespectacled private detective Daya Shankar Kapoor looked so different that Sridevi initially failed to recognise him. She recalled asking where Nawazuddin was while he was standing beside her, and said he spent four hours on his make-up.
Nawazuddin himself described approximately three to four hours of preparation, calling the unfamiliar process tiring but exciting. Ravi Udyawar’s ‘Mom’ released on July 7, 2017, led by Sridevi, with Akshaye Khanna, Sajal Ali and Adnan Siddiqui also starring. The altered hairline and facial detailing created the surprise, but the actor also developed a distinctive voice and manner for the character.
15. Deepika Padukone - ‘Chhapaak’
Deepika Padukone estimated three hours to get into Malti’s appearance and another hour to remove it for ‘Chhapaak’. Playing an acid-attack survivor involved both the physical routine and the emotional demands of inhabiting the character.
After filming, Deepika recalled burning an additional prosthetic piece as a personal act of closure. Director Meghna Gulzar also praised her patience during the lengthy application process. Released on January 10, 2020, ‘Chhapaak’ stars Deepika alongside Vikrant Massey, with Malti’s story inspired by Laxmi Agarwal’s experiences. Here, the transformation mattered because it served a person’s journey and the film’s perspective on how survivors are seen.
16. Taapsee Pannu And Bhumi Pednekar - ‘Saand Ki Aankh’
Taapsee Pannu became Prakashi Tomar and Bhumi Pednekar played Chandro Tomar in Tushar Hiranandani’s ‘Saand Ki Aankh’, released on October 25, 2019. Their ageing transformations took around three hours each, with the team using specialised make-up and latex rather than conventional silicone prosthetic appliances.
Heat made maintaining the appearances particularly difficult. Taapsee recalled one day when the make-up had to be done three times because sweat disrupted it; Bhumi was reported to have developed facial blisters during the outdoor schedule. The film also stars Prakash Jha and Vineet Kumar Singh. Bringing the sharpshooters to life therefore required the actresses to protect a fragile make-up design while performing through demanding conditions.
17. Lara Dutta - ‘Bell Bottom’
Lara Dutta’s Indira Gandhi appearance began with a mould of her face and detailed work on ageing, facial features and the former prime minister’s distinctive hair. She told Pinkvilla that the routine took three hours each morning and one for removal, while other interviews put application closer to three-and-a-half.
Working with Vikram Gaikwad, Lara found the resemblance startling enough to barely recognise herself. She also studied footage to refine Gandhi’s gestures and manner of speaking. Ranjit M Tewari’s ‘Bell Bottom’ released on August 19, 2021, starring Akshay Kumar, Vaani Kapoor, Huma Qureshi and Lara. The make-up established the resemblance; her task was to make the person beneath it convincing.
18. Vikrant Massey - ‘White’
Vikrant Massey’s portrayal of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in Montoo Bassi’s ‘White’ required approximately five to five-and-a-half hours of hair and make-up, followed by more than ten hours of filming, according to the actor. The transformation is already documented even though a confirmed theatrical release date could not be established as of November 12, 2026.
The international thriller centres on the spiritual leader’s involvement in Colombia’s peace process, with Darío Yazbek Bernal and Jaime Newball among the cast. Massey described the preparation as a substantial challenge, while Bassi separately confirmed lengthy prosthetic sessions. For this project, the eventual screen appearance will arrive after audiences have already heard just how much work went into creating it.
