At the age of 61, Anil Kapoor still maintains his youth, not just in his spirit but also in his looks. For his upcoming film Fanney Khan, the actor goes de-glam and he is nothing but convincing as a layman in his worn out shirt and lungi. Previously, he mentioned how this role was special to him, as it took him down the memory lanes, to the days when he stayed in a chawl and struggled to find work.

During the many rounds of promotions that Anil is hosting, we grabbed an opportunity to chat with him and know his process of getting into the shoes of his characters. He said, “I am very conscious about my looks, very particular from the time I started my career with Woh Saat Din. I have to modify my looks because I have a very different personality. Every actor has a different way of doing a character. So, I did what I felt is right.”

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In 1982's Woh Saat Din, Anil plays the role of a small town boy and musician wanting to make it big. For that, the actor said, “I got my haircut from a small-time barber so he doesn’t give me a stylish cut. I remember my mother telling me, 'achha bhala hero lagta tha ab ekdum character lag raha hai.(Earlier you used to look decent, and now you look like a character)' I bought the harmonium and jacket used in the film from Chor Bazaar, to get the feel and look of the character. When he’s (my character) hungry he ties a wet cloth around his stomach so that the hunger dies. I could do that convincingly because I was looking, feeling, wearing that kind of clothes.”

[caption id="attachment_109412" align="aligncenter" width="1213"] Anil Kapoor in Woh Saat Din[/caption]

What started with his debut film became a routine. “For Mashaal in 1984, I went to the slums, to Kurla, to Dharavi. There I picked up the language which those kids spoke. The rumaal, worn out red t-shirt, pants were all my old clothes. Even the shoes I wore were very old. In Ram Lakhan, the shirt I wore in Ae Jee O Jee is mine. At the time of Mr. India, I went to Chor Bazaar to pick up clothes because nobody really recognized me. I could move around in those areas. Mr. India wala jacket abhi bhi hai mere paas. It’s made of cloth used in Kambal” he added.

[caption id="attachment_109541" align="aligncenter" width="647"] L-R: Anil Kapoor in Mashaal and Ram Lakhan[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_109413" align="aligncenter" width="738"] The iconic look in Mr India[/caption]

He further made a revelation which made us sit back and admire the actor for his dedication. "Every shirt I wore in Fanney Khan from Chor Bazaar, cleaned using naphthalene balls."

[caption id="attachment_109543" align="aligncenter" width="756"] In Fanney Khan[/caption]

However, the actor treasures memories more than material. “A lot of stuff I have given away in charity. 1942’s clothes went for auction. Even Taal’s clothes were auctioned” he concluded.

Now, you know what keeps the man going, effortlessly.