Pankhuri Awasthi, Nirbhay Wadhwa take hours to get into character

For small screen actors who are part of historical and mythological shows, getting into the skin of their characters is a ‘heavy’ task. They are required to spend hours on the sets, burdened by the bulky costumes that their roles demand. Glamorous and gruelling at the same time. Here’s a look at those who bear the weight of their heavy costumes...
Betaal
Time taken to get ready: 3 hours
Sandeep Anand
Show: Betaal Aur Sinhasan Battisi
My costume weighs around three kilos, including the jewellery and wig.I have to reach the set well in advance because my makeup takes a good three hours. We shoot on an air-conditioned floor and my makeup room also has an AC. Even then, I keep sipping fresh juice and cold drinks to keep myself cool. Thankfully, I wear the same costume throughout the shoot.
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Hanuman
Time taken to get ready: 4 hours
Nirbhay Wadhwa
Show: Mahabali Hanuman
My costume weighs a kilo, the mukut made of brass is one-and-a-half kilos, the mace (gada) made of fibre is two kilos and the tail, three kilos. However, the most difficult part is my makeup. I have to wear this mask over my mouth, which is time-consuming. Earlier, I used to reach the set four hours before time to get ready for the part. However, with advanced makeup techniques, the time has reduced considerably.
Bhayankar Pari
Time taken to get ready: 2 hours
Shweta Kwatraa
Show: Baalveer
The costume weighs three kilos, and the headgear and the wand made of fibre weighs two and four kilos respectively. So, I won’t be exaggerating when I say the whole get-up amounts to eight kilos! Getting the headgear in place consumes maximum time as it has to stand perfectly still on my head. They use packing (made of net and hair) to fix the gear and to prevent it from falling at the slightest of movement. I won’t say the transformation is easy; sometimes, it gives me a headache at the end of the day. Though it’s a tough task to get into the character, I don’t mind the hard work. Actors usually wear normal costumes, but I am getting to do something different. Thankfully, there are no costume changes for me!

Rani Sahiba
Time taken to get ready: 1 hour
Delnaaz Irani
Show: Akbar Birbal
Initially, it was really difficult to wear such heavy costumes and jewellery. It was almost like carrying another person. But now, I am used to it. There are days when I end up changing costumes four-five times during a 12-hour shoot. On a lucky day, it may be just one or two! Though I enjoy the shoot and love dressing up for the character, I do miss wearing regular clothes.
Noor Khorasan
Time taken to get ready: 2 hours
Ankita Sharma
Show: Chakravartin Ashoka Samrat
While the makeup takes hardly any time, the most difficult part of transforming into the character is the costume and the headgear. Everything together easily weighs around 15 kilos. It takes a long time to get the headgear in position as I also have to wear a wig to support it. If you take off the jewellery, the weight will reduce by several kilos. So, as an alternative, I wear the accessories only when the camera starts rolling. Given the heavy costume we wear while shooting in extreme heat, we sometimes develop a rash and acne as well.

Razia Sultan
Time taken to get ready: 1 hour
Pankhuri Awasthi
Show: Razia Sultan
The costume is quite heavy, and the jewellery only adds to the weight. It is tough to wear them in this heat, but like all girls, I love dressing up as a princess! Depending on the scene we are shooting, I’m also required to change into three costumes a day. But, once I finish shoot, I quickly change into regular clothes.
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Maharana Pratap
Ssharad Malhotraa
Time taken to get ready: 45 minutes
Show: Bharat Ka Veer Putra – Maharana Pratap
With all that heavy brocade work and the materials used, my costumes could easily weigh around two-and-a-half kilos. Shooting outdoors in this excessive heat is difficult, especially with the makeup wearing off due to sweat, but I have always believed in the saying ‘No Pain, No Gain’. So, once I wear the costume, nothing matters! In fact, I don’t mind changing into two or three costumes a day that is required of me. I love every little thing about my character.
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