In the shoes of the character

Gandhinagar Grapevine

He is good-looking and ambitious. Like many other young men of his age, he always wanted to be an actor and he has in fact worked his way up to getting those meaty roles.

Niranjan Shetty’s role in ‘Case No. 18/9’ not only reflects his exceptional acting skills but also showcases how he has gone all out to live the character not only on the screen but off it as well.

Niranjan plays the role of a village lad who comes to the City in search of a job but lands in many controversies. What’s interesting is his unkempt look throughout the film.

“I had to grow my hair and nails. And there were days when I would come to work without taking bath or even brushing my teeth because that’s the kind of rugged
look which was required for the role,” shares Niranjan, who says that, looking back, he is proud of his character.

He adds, “I’ve worked really hard on this role. I had to sleep amidst garbage. We shot in some of the dirtiest places across the City. The character appears real and the settings couldn’t look more natural.”

This movie is a remake of Tamil film Vazhakku Enn 18/9 but Niranjan didn’t have any qualms about working in a remake. “Never mind that it is a remake. The subject is excellent and the storyline is sure to get a lot of people thinking. It traces the story of an innocent man who gets entangled in a mess, for no fault of his. The rest is best kept a secret,” he beams.

Niranjan has moved on to his next project and now sports a clean shaven look but he says that the character still remains with him.

“With overgrown hair, long beard and uncut nails, I literally lived the character for more than six months,” he sums up.