5 Female Actors Who Underwent Major Transformations To Portray Politicians On Screen

Actors playing politicians: Politics has been a source of inspiration for many mainstream Bollywood movies. While some were successful, others turned out to be rather controversial. Of late, the OTT platforms too are coming up with political dramas based on the lives of real and fictional politicians. To play the role with perfection, the actors have to undergo massive transformation, both physically and professionally. They don't just have to outwardly resemble the leaders they are portraying but also correctly emulate their body language and the accent in which they speak.

Actors playing politicians: A look at the transformations these 5 women actors underwent

1. Kangana Ranaut in Thalaivi

In the upcoming trilingual film, Thalaivi, actor Kangana Ranaut will be seen playing the role of the late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa. Ranaut is known for her choice of diverse roles and versatile acting. The trailer of the movie has raised the expectations of all her fans as she is seen portraying the role of the politician with ease and perfection. Not only in the trailer, Kangana's resemblance to the politician is also very well evident in the stills from the movie which have been released so far. Ranaut can be seen dressed in clothes similar to the late actor-politician in the pictures. She also makes the best possible efforts to resemble Jayalalithaa's facial expressions and gestures. What is even more startling is that the actor gained 20 kgs for the film and then lost it all.

2. Richa Chadda in Madam Chief Minister

Richa Chadda's Tara Roopram from Madam Chief Minister resembles the former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Mayawati. Just like Mayawati, she portrays a Dalit politician, who rises to the rank of the Chief Minister. Besides this and Chadda's boyish haircut, it is difficult to spot any other similarity between the two. The movie might have a fictional storyline but the actor has once again given her best shot by doing absolute justice to her role with her mind-blowing acting skills.

3. Huma Qureshi in Maharani

Huma Qureshi plays the role of Rani Bharti, inspired by Rabri Devi, the ex-Chief Minister of Bihar in the upcoming SonyLIV original series Maharani. In the trailer, we find Qureshi wearing cotton sarees similar to what Devi usually wears. Not only that, staying true to the character, she wears the simple look of a housewife. More than undergoing a physical transformation, what the actor has adopted is the politician's body language and accent. This character stands out from the other roles Qureshi has so far played. While talking about her role in the series, she said, "It's not often that you get to portray a character that lets you explore so many layers as a performer. Rani Bharti has been a delight to play."

4. Suchitra Sen in Andhi

When Andhi hit the screens in 1975, it came to light that Aarti Devi's character was based on the life of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her relationship with her husband. Gandhi acted as a source of inspiration for both Sen's look in the movie and the storyline. Andhi was not permitted a proper release at the time when Gandhi was in power. It was banned during the national emergency, 1975. In all probability, the reason was the issues highlighted in it were too close to reality and could create controversies. Sen resembled Gandhi in her appearance and played her role with utmost perfection.

5. Suzanne Bernert in The Accidental Prime Minister

Finally, in the list of actors playing politicians, comes Suzanne Bernert. She is a German-born Indian actor who lives in India and primarily acts in Indian movies, daily soaps and web series. In The Accidental Prime Minister, the biopic of the ex-Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, she played the role of Sonia Gandhi. She essayed the role perfectly and resembled the politician in more ways than one. She was a perfect choice for the role. We can find similarity in terms of their speech accent and also in the way they dressed up and their body language.