Released four years ago, Dream Girl had Ayushmann Khurrana slipping into the skin and spandex of a woman in this comedy of errors which became a box-office hit. With Dream Girl 2 releasing today and Ayushmann once again reprising the part of Pooja, t2 spotlights some other male actors, using prosthetics, make-up and, more importantly, outstanding acting, who have done a great job playing women.
Kamal Haasan in Chachi 420: This 1997 childhood favourite still remains memorable, with Kamal Haasan doing a Mrs Doubtfire (which is also on this list). Chachi 420 had the actor draping a sari, slapping on prosthetic make-up and getting the walk and talk of an elderly woman spot-on to play a nanny to his own daughter who lives with his estranged wife, played by Tabu. Some LOL moments — courtesy ‘Chachi’s’ interactions with the characters played by Amrish Puri, Johnny Walker and Paresh Rawal — made Chachi 420 a therapeutically funny watch.
Eddie Redmayne in The Danish Girl: (It) “absolutely made me look at the notion of my own gender”, said Eddie Redmayne about playing Lili in The Danish Girl. One of the first to undergo gender-reassignment surgery, Redmayne not only portrayed Lili’s physicality well but also the deep-rooted, complex emotions of the character
Tim Curry in The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Glossy wine Lips? Check! Pearl necklace? Check! Smoky eyes? Check! Glittery corset costume? Check! Tim Curry aced a gothic makeover, playing the absurd yet eyecatching role of Dr Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Marlon and Shawn Wayans in White Chicks: Not just women, the Wayan brothers disguised themselves as white women in the movie White Chicks. We loved the ridiculous “white girl” accent and the blonde hair of the two disguised and disgraced FBI agents.
Robin Williams in Mrs. Doubtfire: Perhaps the most seminal performance on this list belongs to Robin Williams, who changed from Daniel Hillard to Euphegenia Doubtfire, a nanny to look after his kids whose custody he loses after divorcing his wife. Mrs Doubtfire’s prosthetic features, her sizeable assets and hilarious body language made this character one to remember for ages. From dancing while vacuuming the house to that shift from table to table at the restaurant, this was an outstanding act in a much-beloved comedy
Amitabh Bachchan in Laawaris: Amitabh Bachchan donned a ghagra-choli and brought the house down dancing to Mere angne mein in the 1981 movie Laawaris, challenging his image of the Angry Young Man. We love!
Dustin Hoffman in Tootsie: Who knew that reinventing yourself would make you get the job? Well, Michael Dorsey (or should we say Dorothy Michaels) made it look easy with Michael (Dustin Hoffman) transforming into an actress named Dorothy (also played by Hoffman) to get a part in a soap opera. The character became an instant fan favourite and retains its freshness even four decades later
Riteish Deshmukh in Apna Sapna Money Money: Riteish Deshmukh has the uncanny ability to pull off women’s characters with ease. Perhaps the most memorable is his turn as a good-looking woman when he cross-dressed as one in the 2006 film Apna Sapna Money Money. The way he flipped his hair was a 10/10!
Jared Leto in Dallas Buyers Club: Jared Leto nailed the role of Rayon, an AIDS patient and a trans woman with a drug problem in Dallas Buyers Club. Leto won both an Oscar and a Golden Globe for his seamless act.
