Started hating myself: Raghuvir Yadav on shaving his head for Hunkkaar's Baapji

Actor Raghubir Yadav has spent decades playing characters that audiences instinctively warm up to. But in Hunkkaar: The Roar, the veteran actor steps into a space that is markedly different from the affable, often eccentric characters he has been associated with. He plays Sunil Chakosi, popularly known as Baapji, a revered godman accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl. And for the role, Yadav went through a physical transformation that left even him struggling to recognise himself.Speaking exclusively to India Today, Yadav said that one of the biggest challenges for him was becoming Baapji physically. The actor shaved his head for the part, rather than relying on a wig or prosthetic. And when he first saw himself on screen, the transformation was so stark that he barely recognised the person staring back at him."To be honest, when I saw myself for the first time without hair, I almost started hating myself," he said, adding with a laugh: “As soon as I saw myself in that look, I was like, 'bhai ab toh marr gaye (It's the end now)."But that discomfort eventually became an important part of finding Baapji. The actor explained that once he let go of his familiar appearance, the character's personality began to take over. “After I cut my hair, the personality that took over just helped me sail through. It helped me internalise my pain, and also helped me understand filmmaking better. I also understood how characters take over an actor on screen. While I had seen myself in the mirror, seeing it on the big screen at the trailer launch was such a different experience," he added. Raghubir Yadav also made it clear that there was no shortcut involved in creating his bald look. Explaining why he didn't opt for prosthetics, he said an actor cannot always protect themselves from the demands of a character and expect the same level of authenticity.“If you had a wig, you'd always feel it, and thus it never becomes real. There is something fundamentally different about actually undergoing the transformation rather than simply putting on a prosthetic," he added. Yadav also touched upon how the atmosphere on the sets helped him move away from his own personality and deeper into Baapji's mindset. He contrasted the experience with projects where actors can step out of character between takes, sit together and casually interact. “Actually, the set was completely different here. On other sets, you take a break, sit together and talk. But over here, because of how the character was, it felt isolated. And one also wants to soak into the emotions to deliver the best. But it was almost like being trapped in the character."Interestingly, the actor's physical transformation also became an unexpected source of humour during the conversation. When asked about the secret to regrowing his hair, the Panchayat actor joked that he did not have a sponsor to recommend any particular product.He then went back to his childhood and recalled using mustard oil in his village.Hunkkaar: The Roar, which premiered on JioHotstar on Friday, is a six-episode courtroom crime drama created by Karan D Kapadia and Nitya Mehra. The series follows Meenu Rawat (Aneet Padda), a 17-year-old who accuses the powerful spiritual leader Baapji of sexual assault.Her allegation sets off a legal battle that brings the police, lawyers, media and Baapji's vast network of followers into the picture. Fatima Sana Shaikh plays ACP Jasleen Singh Soin, the officer investigating the case, while Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Arjun Mathur, Ram Kapoor, Rajesh Sharma and Zoya Hussain are also part of the ensemble.- Ends