Fatima Sana Shaikh reveals why she didn’t hesitate to chop her long hair for ‘Dangal’; ‘I was getting paid’

Unlike many women who cherish their long tresses, Fatima Sana Shaikh had no qualms about cutting hers short for Aamir Khan’s ‘Dangal’. Recalling the transformation, the actress said that she was informed early on about the haircut requirement and readily agreed since she had already been wanting to experiment with short hair for a while. “My hair was quite long before Dangal, but I really wanted to try a shorter look at least once,” she shared with a smile.

Short hair was like a win-win situation for Fatima Sana Shaikh

During her appearance on Bharti Singh and Haarsh Limbachiyaa’s YouTube podcast, Fatima reflected on her experience, saying, “I loved it. So, it was a win-win situation for me. I was getting paid, I was getting a film, and I was getting short hair, too.” She went on to describe how her mindset changed after the haircut. “As a girl, you use your hair as part of your shringaar (beauty); you open and flaunt it. But if there is none, you can’t do that,” she remarked, expressing how the transformation felt both liberating and challenging.

The story of ‘Dangal’

Aamir Khan’s ‘Dangal’ is a sports drama based on the true story of Mahavir Singh Phogat, a former wrestling champion from Haryana. Mahavir dreams of winning a gold medal for India but can’t fulfill it himself. Instead, he trains his daughters, Geeta and Babita, after discovering their wrestling talent. Despite societal opposition, he pushes them to excel in the sport. The film follows their grueling training, emotional struggles, and eventual triumph as Geeta becomes the first Indian female wrestler to win Commonwealth gold. It also stars Sanya Malhotra, Zaira Wasim, Suhani Bhatnagar, Sakshi Tanwar, Aparshakti Khurana, Girish Kulkarni and Ritvik Sahore.

Fatima Sana Shaikh’s upcoming project

On the work front, Fatima Sana Shaikh will next be seen in Vibhu Puri’s romantic drama ‘Gustaakh Ishq’. The film is set against the backdrop of Old Delhi and the fading kothi of Punjab, telling a story of passion and silent desire. It stars Fatima alongside Vijay Varma, Naseeruddin Shah, and Sharib Hashmi. Produced by fashion designer Manish Malhotra, the film’s theatrical release is scheduled for November 28, 2025.

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