Atul Kulkarni, Sonalee Kulkarni: 5 Actors Who Pushed The Envelope For Their Roles

Acting is a form of theatrical art. There have been instances in the past where actors have been seen going the extra mile on screen for their characters. With the evolution of Marathi cinema, there has been a significant rise in the number of actors who have portrayed bold characters and made their presence felt on screen. Here are some Marathi actors who pushed the envelope for their roles which went down in history as the most memorable ones. Let’s begin by looking at Atul Kulkarni from Natrang.

Watch the National Award-winning film Natrang here.

1. Atul Kulkarni

Source: ZEE5

Atul Kulkarni was part of the critically acclaimed film Natrang, released in 2010. It revolved around the story of a group of Tamasha artists in Maharashtra who struggle to make ends meet. Atul was cast in the role of Guna, a transgender dancer in this theatre group. Owing to the requirements of the role, the actor had to lose a lot of weight and give up his perfectly toned body. Atul agreeing to play a transgender character was also a bold decision, considering the social stigma surrounding them. However, the talented actor managed to slay the role with his flawless performance and graceful dance.

2. Sonalee Kulkarni

Source: ZEE5

We have usually seen Sonalee Kulkarni in flashy roles in films like Natrang, Irada Pakka, and Haay Kay Naay Kay. But in Hampi, the beauty sported a never-seen-before avatar as a geek. Sonalee decided to step outside of her comfort zone and transform herself into a completely different character with a geeky appeal. This look was never been explored before by any of the Marathi film actresses and hence deserves to be appreciated.

3. Kalyanee Mulay

Source: ZEE5

Kalyanee Mulay was part of Ravi Jadhav’s directorial Nude. The actress played the role of Yamuna in the film which made headlines for its bold scenes. The film attempted to break the stigma associated with nude modelling and Kalyanee had to shed her clothes along with her inhibitions for the role. The controversies revolving around the nude sequences didn’t affect the film which got credited in many international film festivals. Kalyanee also received critical acclaim later for portraying such a strong character on screen.

4. Savita Malpekar

Source: ZEE5

Kaksparsh was a film that shed light on the evil practices prevalent during the pre-Independence era. Amongst the many regressive customs that existed during the time, one of them involved making women go bald after the death of their husbands. Savita Malpekar was also asked to tonsure her head completely since she played the role of a widow. The actress accepted the task without hesitation and shaved her hair off. This was probably the first time that an actress went bald for her role. Kudos to Savita!

5. Priya Bapat

Source: ZEE5

Priya Bapat featured in a film named Vazandar where she was supposed to play an overweight character. The actress took it up as a challenge and gained a whopping 16 kgs for her role. It was not just Priya who did this, her co-star Sai Tamhankar also joined her in the process and put on 10 kgs. Both these actresses groomed themselves perfectly for the role and won our hearts with their acting. Priya being a fitness freak, later lost the extra calories by training hard at the gym. Inspirational much?

Which of these actors do you like the most? Let us know in the comment box below.

Watch ZEE5 originals, movies, and shows streaming on ZEE5!

Get all the live updates on Coronavirus on ZEE5 News Section