Growing a beard isn’t as easy as one thinks, says Gautam Rode
The actor talks about the importance of donning various looks for characters
Gautam Rode is looking different these days. He is flaunting a beard and a moustache, which he has grown for a role in a short film. “It’s been fun. Growing a beard is tough and not as easy as one might think. It itches a lot (laughs). My friends and family found it weird at first, and they felt I wasn’t looking like myself. Later, they grew to love the look on me as did I. They felt I looked cool with a beard,” says the Saraswatichandra actor.
Gautam grew his facial hair for a double role in the short film, with one of them being of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh while another of a young Punjabi boy. It took him 45 days to grow a full beard and the “in-between growth looked weird”. He says, “I didn’t want to wear an artificial beard for the role. I had the time to grow a beard, so I went ahead with it. I have always donned different looks going with the requirement of the roles I played. Like in Saraswatichandra, I had the normal good boy look; in Maha Kumbh, I tanned four shades darker on my body, put on weight, got a stubble and a crew cut to look like the character. In Suryaputra Karn, I grew my hair and became leaner. I always want to try and achieve the best look, which is as close to the character as possible. I sleep well when I put in that additional effort for a role.”
Gautam feels one has to look the part to be convincing in a role. “Just working on a character and his mannerisms, but not looking the part, is not my thing. It is your duty as an actor to be honest to the character.” Gaining or losing weight, apt hair style, skin colour — everything matters while portraying a character, feels the actor. “I do it for every role. Initially, in Suryaputra Karn, we tried a wig but it looked unnatural, so I grew my hair. For nine months, I kept the long hair. When I played Rudra in Maha Kumbh, who was brought up in a cemetery, the character had to look a certain way. Main ek gora chitta banda, waisa nahin lag sakta (I am a fairskinned guy, and I can’t look the part). I could have acted my heart out but without these physical attributes, the role wouldn’t have clicked [with the audience].”
Just working on a character and his mannerisms, but not looking the part, is not my thing. It is your duty as an actor to be honest to the character. GAUTAM RODE, ACTOR