‘Jab bachpan mein bachhe ka mundan hota hai…’ Shahid Kapoor on why he isn’t afraid to go ‘bald’ for roles

NEW DELHI: Shahid Kapoor is gearing up for his next big release, ‘Deva’, where he returns to the action genre as a fearless cop while sporting a “massy” look.

Over the years, the ‘Jab We Met’ actor has become known for undergoing drastic hair makeovers for his film roles. From going bald for ‘Haider’ to experimenting with messy looks, long locks, and different beard styles, Shahid has never hesitated to transform his looks to suit his characters.

The actor opened up about his hair transformations and shared that as an actor one should learn to “sacrifice” things they are most associated with and also shared how “stepping away” from “physical features” he once relied on allowed him to grow as an actor.

#WATCH | Delhi: On being asked about hair transformations for his roles in films, Actor Shahid Kapoor says, “…I feel that hair has always been a big part of my personality…As an actor, you have to learn to sacrifice the things that you think are most associated with you and… pic.twitter.com/JZdOThbWOU

— ANI (@ANI) January 28, 2025

“I think hair has always been a big part of my personality because I had a lot of it in the beginning, and I had that boyish look. What I realized as an actor is that you have to learn to sacrifice things that you think are most associated with you. When you start doing those things — letting go of something that has been a strong part of your personality or something that boosts your confidence, like thinking, ‘my eyes are nice, my hair is nice’ — you realize that your confidence doesn’t come from these aspects”, Shahid said.

“But to be a true actor, you have to let go of those crutches you feel support you. Something that is really strong will emerge from you, and it won’t be dependent on any physical aspect. So, I think ‘Haider’ was one such turning point for me. I tried to do that repeatedly, even before that, with Kaminey and some of the other films I did. I was trying to rediscover myself. I think this has been a part of my learning, my journey, and my growth as an actor. It’s my relationship with myself. I’m always looking for opportunities to explore that, and whenever I feel a role justifies it, I’ll take it,” he added.

Asked if there was ever a moment of hesitation or doubt about shaving his head for a role, Shahid chuckled and said, “Jab bachpan mein bachhe ka mundan hota hai, tab toh koi nahin puchta hai ki baal wapas nahin aayenge. I think your hair grows back better after you’ve shaved it off — that’s what they say. Like, if you want to improve your hair growth, you should shave it off. I never had any of those kinds of issues or fears”.

Shahid’s upcoming film ‘Deva’, an action-thriller marks his return to the big screen after almost a year, following his last appearance in ‘Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya’, which also starred actress Kriti Sanon.

Apart from Shahid Kapoor, ‘Deva’ also stars Pooja Hegde as an investigative journalist. The film is directed by Rosshan Andrrews and produced by Zee Studios and Siddharth Roy Kapur. ‘Deva’ is scheduled to be released in theatres worldwide on January 31. (ANI)