Who is the fairest of them all?

We have seen actors going to great lengths to pull off their characters but acting as a woman would require them to elevate themselves to another level, literally.
Stars such as Charlie Chaplin, Alec Guinness, Robin Williams and Kamal Haasan have cross-dressed to play memorable characters. While some essayed out-and-out female roles, a few others used the feminine avatar as a disguise.So fitting were their makeovers — right from their make-up and dress to gestures and expressions — they left a lasting impression.
Actors Jayasurya and Unni Mukundan are the latest to flaunt their feminine side in Mollywood with their upcoming movies Njan Marykutty and Chanakyathantram respectively. We take a look at some of those who have surprised the audience with their transformations:
Dileep (Mayamohini)
Arguably the most famous drag queen in Mollywood was portrayed by Dileep. The actor, who had earlier acted as an effeminate man in Chanthupottu, transformed himself as Mayamohini. He perfected the voice, expressions and even the body language of a woman so well that the audience couldn’t find any similarity between the character and the actor.
Jayasurya (Njan Marykutty)
The latest look of the ‘Mr Perfectionist’ of Mollywood for director Ranjith Sanker’s Njan Marykutty has made waves — just like the wavy hair his character sports in it. The actor will be playing a transwoman in the movie, and judging from his previous characters, it’s quite evident that he would have done his homework to make the role stand out.
Baburaj (Tamar Padaar, Ulsaha Committee)
Who would have guessed villain-turned-comedian Baburaj could pull off a character dressed as a woman? That’s exactly what he did in Akku Akbar’s Ulsaha Committee. While his female look only had limited screen time in it, the actor looked convincing and even managed to tickle the funny bone with his avatar, draped in a sari complete with jewellery and jasmine in Dileesh Nair’s Tamar Padaar. The scene also had Chemban Vinod’s character as they joined to celebrate Chamayavilakku, a unique festival in Chavara, Kollam, where men dress up as women.
Unni Mukundan (Chanakyathanthram)
In the first look of his upcoming movie, the Mollywood hunk, known for his macho roles, looked stunning in a pink sari, complete with long curly hair, luscious lips and even a nose ring. The makers had released a video of the actor’s transformation — right from waxing his body to threading his eyebrows.
Jagathy (Hitler Brothers)
Jagathy’s female version in Hitler Brothers was styled after Kamal Haasan’s Avvai Shanmughi, and many could argue that Jagathy probably did it better. His character takes on the guise of professor Shanmughi towards the climax of the movie to unite its male and female protagonists. Probably, no other actor has managed to play an older, graceful woman like Jagathy did.
Krishna (Thillana Thillana)
Krishna convinced the audience of his acting skills as Sreelakshmi in Thillana Thillana, which released in 2003. The actor, who also played the role of a man, Bobby in the movie, was lauded for his performances as man and woman in the same movie. His female character had to wear high heels, a variety of dresses and also had different hairstyles.