I am too lazy to shave: Mohit Raina

While his talent has always been noticed in TV shows including Devon Ke Dev Mahadev, Chakravartin Ashoka Samrat and 21 Sarfarosh - Saragarhi 1897, Mohit Raina has also got a lot of attention for his good looks. “Good looks are important, but it’s not the be-all-end-all of everything for an actor. I love experimenting with my looks for the roles I do. I enjoyed trying out a variety of looks for the different avatars of Lord Shiva,” he says, reminiscing about his role in Mahadev. He was also seen in a cleanshaven bare-chested look in Ashoka and as a heavilybearded sardar in 21 Sarfarosh.

“If I get a chance, I always try to change my appearance on screen in some form or the other. It depends on the time and logistics at hand to work on a look or physical appearance. Every actor, I know, wants to go out of their way and make a character as authentic as possible. For example, for 21 Sarfarosh, I had the time to grow my beard for three to four months, and working with a real beard is better any day than a fake one. I was lucky that right after the show ended, I started working on Uri: The Surgical Strike, so I could keep the beard but in a shorter and trimmed form.” Mohit, who debuted in Bollywood with Uri, says the director wanted a rough look for his character.

Mohit is currently sporting a clean-shaven look for the role of a cop in a web series. Ask him if he prefers a bearded or clean-shaved look, and he says, “It’s never about me, as I always follow what the director wants. Personally, I am too lazy to shave. I won’t touch my beard if I am not working for say a month (laughs). I will give it a rest. I won’t make any effort to look groomed.”

If I get a chance, I always try to change my appearance on screen in some form or the other. Every actor, I know, wants to go out of their way and make a character as authentic as possible. MOHIT RAINA,

ACTOR