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Darshan Yewalekar On Becoming Alauddin Khilji!

Darshan Yewalekar On The Making of Alauddin Khilji!

It's been four years since Sanjay Leela Bhansali's "Padmaavat" was released, and hair designer Darshan Yewalekar, who created the iconic Alauddin Khilji look, says he's nostalgic about the experience. He has worked on many memorable characters with his muse Ranveer Singh in their decade-long association, but this film was the most challenging because there was no visual reference for the character and Darshan had to translate the director's vision in a tangible way.

He said: "The brief was about the character's graph and I had to create a look that gelled with the decisions Khilji made in the film. The look had to be in sync with his portrayal and we began with the beard and asked Ranveer to grow it for over two months. When this scruffy long beard framed his face, we had a template that we could carve upon. We also gave Ranveer a long goatee and accentuated the dramatic elongated lines of his face to bring attention to his eyes, which played such a huge part in creating a sense of danger around the character. Together, we created a character that looked like a formidable antagonist.''

As a man who also studies his characters' physical attributes, Darshan wondered what kind of hairdo this destructive antagonist would have. He says, "His hair had to be an extension of his persona so as to also exude his wild, untamed energy.  His hair and beard, in the end, made him stand out because they were loud and distinctly unforgettable just like him."

It was tough to maintain the consistency and integrity of the look. Darshan says, "To give volume and texture to Ranveer's hair, we blended in extensions with his own hair. And maintaining that beard was a bit of a challenge. It's not easy for an actor to perform with 18 clips in his hair and not let them come in the way of all that movement and that kind of energy." We also ensured that all this wasn't taking a toll on Ranveer's own hair and sped up the healing process with regular treatments and spas.

Darshan Yewalekar
Darshan Yewalekar 

As a passionate designer, Darshan also became deeply involved with the character's journey from the beginning to the very end. He said: "I was drawn into the role of designing Padmaavat right from the first day of the shoot. While there were several ups and downs in my journey, I made sure that I remained connected to it as much as possible."

The rest of the creative team also noted the fast pace and passion of Bhansali's creative process. Says Darshan, "When you work with Bhansali and Ranveer, there is no compromise when it comes to detailing so it is essential to maintain consistency and perfection in every single shot. As Ranveer's hairstylist, I couldn't be lax for even a moment. It was exciting, but it was also tough. I can totally relate when Ranveer says that this was the most difficult character he has ever portrayed. For me too, it was hard to detach from that character even after packing up because his performance would begin to affect my sense of reality. But yes, I feel lucky to have been a part of such a landmark portrayal of an unusual antagonist."

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