Bollywood Makeovers of 2009

Rani Mukherjee shed those extra pounds for a fit comeback in "Dil Bole Hadippa." Rani may have once been the queen of B-town but the buzz was always about her talent and not about her physique. After a short hiatus, Rani returned after working with yoga expert Payal Gidwani. The actress, who weighed 123 lbs, lost 15 lbs and now weighs 108 lbs!

Hrithik Roshan went the other way when preparing for his role as a paraplegic in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's "Guzaarish." The "Luck by Chance" star was asked to gain weight around the arms and abs, and to let his hair and beard grow out! We might be used to see a fit and healthy Hrithik Roshan who is always hitting the gym. But in order to get 'in shape' for his role, the star had to go on a very special diet! Director Sanjay Leela Bhansali put Hrithik on a special workout regime and given him equally specific orders when it comes to his physical appearance. And Hrithik is really taking his role as a paraplegic seriously and has been working those biceps in a wheelchair, all the while researching real patients' physical behavior.

Then there is Kareena Kapoor, who in an attempt to match Julia Roberts in the Bollywood remake of the 1998 Hollywood film "Stepmom," is currently hard at work going from her usual glamorous self to a more ordinary, gloomy look. For her role, the Bollywood beauty has to take down her glam factor a notch because she will be portraying an ordinary working woman, a stepmom.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is set to take on the part of an old lady for a few scenes in Vipul Shah's upcoming project "Action Replay" about a man who travels backwards in time to the 70s when he was young and handsome. The former Miss World will get a drastic makeover with the help of Hollywood makeup artists.

Ash's father-in-law, Amitabh Bachchan, went the other way and turned into a 13-year-old boy for his role in "Paa." Getting the look for Amitabh's role was a very complicated affair. Big B took his blog and explained that "my rituals today were guided by the extensive hours at the studio, a major portion of which were in front of the makeup mirror, getting the face plastered with silicon. It took 4 hours for it all to come on and another hour to take it off. But may I say the results were simply phenomenal. The team of makeup artists flew in from Los Angeles and carrying huge and important credentials were exemplary in their job. Professional to the core and committed to the last brush of paint on the face."