3 min readNew DelhiFeb 16, 2026 06:32 PM IST
Actor Rajkummar Rao recently made headlines over noticeable changes in his appearance, particularly his hairstyle, after a video from an event went viral on social media.
Several videos and photos of Rajkummar from the Bolti Khidkiyaan Short Film Festival in Mumbai surfaced online, fuelling rumours about a thinning hairline. Dressed in a plain black shirt paired with jeans and glasses, the actor drew mixed reactions from social media users; some expressed concern, while others speculated that the look was for a potential portrayal of former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly.
Addressing the speculation, Rajkummar Rao has now clarified that the transformation is not due to hair loss but is part of his preparation for his upcoming film Nikam.
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On Monday, Rajkummar took to Instagram to share a collage featuring public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam and former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly, the two real-life figures he is currently preparing to portray on screen. He wrote in the caption, “My being is through my Art. Just finished shooting for my next Biopic #NIKAM and yes, it has demanded me to change physically which I love doing. I’m not a believer in prosthetic as long as I can achieve the look through my hardwork which I’ve achieved in Nikam be it gaining weight or looking old (to play a certain age)or to make my hair thin which my hair stylist was very much against but everyone told me to not go half bald for BOSE also and to gain that much weight or to Not stop eating and lose so much weight for TRAPPED or to not behave like a visually impaired person even when cameras weren’t rolling during SRIKANTH.”
The actor continued, “For Nikam I had to gain around 9-10 kgs and I was eating 2 pizzas and lot of sweets and my fav Aloo Parathas, Biryani and to not use anything glam to look like the part. Hopefully when you will see the film which will be releasing soon you will be able to see all that hardwork in the film. And now it’s the transition phase and time to lose these extra kgs and get ready to slip into Ganguly mode. Our very own Dada. Will always work the hardest to engage you, entertain you through my work. Much Love.”
For the unversed, the Nikam biopic is based on the life of public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, who has handled several high-profile cases in Maharashtra over the decades and takes pride in securing “over 30 death penalties and 600 life sentences.” He is best known for prosecuting 26/11 terrorist Ajmal Kasab. Produced by Maddock Films and directed by Avinash Arun, the biopic is expected to release this year.
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On the other hand, Rajkummar Rao is also prepping for the Sourav Ganguly biopic, helmed by Vikramaditya Motwane. In the film, the actor will be seen playing the legendary cricketer.
Rajkummar Rao reacted to fans' concerns about his hair loss