We are used to seeing these stars looking perfect, but for these roles, perfection was the enemy. To tell the story right, they had to become unrecognisable. Some ate their way to a new size, while others trained until they broke. These weren’t just makeovers; they were physical mutations. Here is a look at the actresses from Bollywood and Hollywood who went to extreme lengths, risking their health and comfort, just to make us believe in a character.
Bhumi Pednekar in ‘Dum Laga Ke Haisha’
Bhumi Pednekar shattered the mold of the typical Bollywood debut. While others starved for size zero, she ate her way to success for Sharat Katariya’s ‘Dum Laga Ke Haisha’ (2015). To play Sandhya, an overweight, small-town wife, she gained a staggering 30 kilos in just six months. She went from 72 kg to nearly 90 kg. Astonishingly, she lost all that weight. She lost over 35 kilos just within four months after the shoot, proving her dedication was absolute.
Kangana Ranaut in ‘Thalaivii’
Kangana Ranaut went to extreme, almost dangerous lengths for A.L. Vijay’s ‘Thalaivii’ (2021). She played the late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa. While prosthetics helped with the facial structure, Kangana refused to wear a fat suit for the body. She gained 20 kilos to mimic the leader’s physique in her later years. She later revealed that this rapid weight gain caused her severe back pain and permanent stretch marks. She took hormone pills to speed up the process, putting her health on the line to ensure the silhouette was authentic.
Priyanka Chopra in ‘Mary Kom’
Priyanka Chopra is known for her glamour, but she built a beast of a physique for Omung Kumar’s ‘Mary Kom’ (2014). To play the Olympic boxer Mary Kom, she didn’t just act; she became an athlete. She trained for 45 days with professional trainers. She focused on building muscle rather than losing weight. She followed a strict low-carb diet and learned three different styles of boxing. She transformed her body to match a boxer’s agility. She also sculpted her biceps and torso to look convincing in the ring.
Kriti Sanon in ‘Mimi’
Kriti Sanon is known for her lean, model-like figure, but she threw that away for Laxman Utekar’s ‘Mimi’ (2021). To play a pregnant surrogate mother, she gained 15 kilos in a short span of two months. She stopped hitting the gym and started feasting on burgers, chocolates, and fried food. She admitted that the process was exhausting, as she had to force-feed herself even when she wasn’t hungry. The visible weight on her face and belly added a layer of reality that a prosthetic bump never could.
Shraddha Kapoor in ‘Haseena Parkar’
Shraddha Kapoor is usually seen as the girl-next-door, but she turned to the dark side for Apoorva Lakhia’s ‘Haseena Parkar’ (2017). She played Haseena Parkar, the “Godmother” of Nagpada. Shraddha gained 9 kilos to look heavier and more mature. To alter her face shape, she used silicone implants inside her mouth to widen her jawline, which affected her speech and gave her a heavy, brooding look. She spent hours in prosthetics to age from a young girl to a terrifying matriarch.
Charlize Theron in ‘Monster’
Charlize Theron is a supermodel-turned-actress, but she erased every trace of her beauty for Patty Jenkins’ ‘Monster’ (2003). She played the serial killer Aileen Wuornos. To achieve the look, Theron gained 30 pounds by eating doughnuts and potato chips. She didn’t stop there. She shaved off her eyebrows, wore prosthetic teeth, and had her skin airbrushed to look weather-beaten and blotchy. She fried her hair to damage it. The transformation was so complete that she won an Oscar for becoming a completely different person.
Renée Zellweger in ‘Bridget Jones’s Diary’
Renée Zellweger famously yo-yoed with her weight for Sharon Maguire’s ‘Bridget Jones’s Diary’ (2001). To play the relatable, curvy Bridget Jones, she gained 30 pounds. She stopped exercising and ate a high-calorie diet of pizza, donuts, and garlic bread. It wasn’t just a fat suit; it was real weight. After filming, she had to lose it all, only to gain it back again for the sequel. She put her body through a roller coaster to make Bridget feel real to millions of women.
Anne Hathaway in ‘Les Misérables’
Anne Hathaway sacrificed her health and hair for Tom Hooper’s ‘Les Misérables’ (2012). She played Fantine, a factory worker turned destitute prostitute. Hathaway lost a total of 25 pounds. She lost the first 10 pounds before filming and then another 15 pounds during the shoot by eating only two thin squares of dried oatmeal paste a day. To top it off, she allowed her real hair to be shaved off on camera in a single take. She looked starving and broken because, in reality, she was.
Rooney Mara in ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’
Rooney Mara didn’t just visit the makeup chair; she altered her body permanently for David Fincher’s ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ (2011). She played the hacker Lisbeth Salander. Mara chopped off her long hair and bleached her eyebrows. She refused fake piercings. She actually pierced her nipple, nose, eyebrow, and lip for the role. She starved herself to look bony and boyish, removing all curves. She walked around Stockholm alone to feel the character’s isolation.
