Actor Rajkumar Rao has completed the shooting of his upcoming biopic. Nikam And shared details about the intense physical transformation she underwent for the role. Taking to social media on February 16, 2026, the National Award-winning actor showcased his process-driven approach towards performance and his commitment to authenticity.
Rajkummar Rao wraps up shooting for biopic Nikam, reveals 10 kg weight gain; Says he is now preparing for “Ganguly mode”
He wrote, “My existence is through my art. Just finished shooting for my next biopic #NIKAM and yes, it has demanded me to transform physically, which I love to do.”
No prosthetics, only hard work
Preferring physical transformation rather than prosthetics, Rao emphasized that he believes in achieving a character’s look through discipline and preparation.
He shared, “I don’t believe in prosthetics as long as I can achieve the look I have achieved in Nikam with my hard work, whether it is gaining weight or looking older (to play a character of a certain age) or thinning my hair, which my hair stylist was very much against.”
Drawing parallels with his previous performances, Rao recalled the resistance he faced when making changes to his appearance for previous films. He said, “Everyone told me not to go half bald and gain so much weight even for Bose or stop eating and lose so much weight for Trapped or not to behave like a visually impaired person even when the cameras were not rolling during Srikanth.”
Over the years, Rao has built a reputation for intense performances, including Stuck, SrikanthAnd Bose: dead/aliveWhere there were notable physical and behavioral changes in them.
Weight increased by 10 kg for ‘Nikam’
For NikamRao revealed that he gained around 9-10 kg to fit into the character. He wrote, “For Nikam I had to gain around 9-10 kilos and I was eating 2 pizzas and a lot of sweets and my favorite aloo parathas, biryani and not using anything glamorous to look like the character.”
The actor expressed hope that the audience will take notice of this effort when the film is released. “Hopefully when you watch the film that will be released soon, you will be able to see all that hard work in the film.”
While more information about Nikam Despite being under wraps, the film is expected to be another performance-driven project in Rao’s filmography.
Transition into ‘Ganguly mode’
with Nikam Post completion, Rao is already preparing for his next big change – reportedly stepping into the role of former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly. He shared, “And now it’s the transition phase and time to shed the extra weight and get ready to get into Ganguly mode. Our very own Dada.”
His reference to “Dada” strongly hints towards the much-awaited biopic on Sourav Ganguly, which has been in development for some time. Rao ended his note with gratitude and a promise to his audience: “Will always work hardest to engage you, entertain you through my work. Lots of love.”
As he moves from one transformative role to the next, Rajkummar Rao continues to reiterate his reputation as one of Hindi cinema’s most dedicated and versatile actors.
