Grilled chicken, oil-free, fish protein diet to play Onler Kom

Meet PC's screen husband

Darshan Kumaar will also be seen in Anushka Sharma's first production

Subhash K Jha

He played the character of Onler Karong Kom, Mary Kom's screen husband in the biopic. Darshan Kumaar lost 12 kgs to look convincing for the part. But for the Jat actor from Delhi, the struggle paid off. Critics and audiences have applauded his performance.

Says the excited actor, "I had to go on a strict grilled chicken and oil-free fish protein diet for three months. I was made to have seven small meals every day. I ended up looking so gaunt I couldn't recognise myself in the mirror. But the effort seems worth it when women come up to me to say they want a husband like me. That feels good. It means my character works within the film's context. Now I need to regain some weight as I've become too skinny. But I want to keep my six packs."

Darshan made a valiant effort to look convincing as Onler. "It was a challenge. But I was ready for it. I've been doing theatre for 10 years. My acting guru is Naseeruddin Shah. Everything I know about acting I've learnt by watching him. At his age, he is so energetic and passionate about his work. He was my inspiration for all the hard work I put in to play Onler."

On Teachers' Day Darshan showed Mary Kom to his guru. Naseer's words of praise meant the world to him. "I waited for Naseer saab to see my film. I've trained under him for 10 years. What better Teachers' Day gift for me than to show my labour of love to my guru?"

Darshan says he likes to spend time with creative people. "Whether it is Naseer sir or Sanjay Bhansali sir, just being with them is such a learning experience. I feel like a student whenever I'm with them." He is deeply excited by the response to his performance. "All the hard work seems to have paid off. I remember I had to audition in three different looks representing three different stages in Onler's character. I first had to look like the very young student besotted by Mary Kom, then the mature man who marries her. I also went through screen tests with Priyanka to see how compatible I looked with her. But finally it all seems to come together."

The gifted young actor has also completed work on Navdeep Singh's NH10 where he is cast in a negative role. Not willing to divulge much about his role in Anushka Sharma's production, Darshan says, "All I can tell you is that I play a character very different from the one in Mary Kom. In fact quite the opposite. In NH10, I am aggressive, insensitive and insufferable. Not the kind of guy any girl would want to marry."

So who's Darshan marrying in real life? "I'm married only to my work," he says.