Shatrughan Sinha went to plastic surgeon to fix his ‘kata-pita’ face, but Dev Anand stopped him: ‘One day, this will become your signature’

Shatrughan Sinha, today a household name known for his intense performances, booming voice, and iconic dialogue delivery, has acted in more than 150 films across Hindi, Bhojpuri, and Bengali cinema. But before his rise to fame, the journey was anything but smooth. Early in his career, Shatrughan faced repeated rejections, not for lack of talent, but for what many deemed “unconventional looks.” In fact, he once considered getting plastic surgery to “fix” his face. In a recent conversation with Curly Tales, he shared the deeply personal story of how close he came to altering his appearance, and how it was legendary actor Dev Anand who stopped him.

“Sapne toh bohot kuch the, par darr lagta tha ki ye kati-phati shakal lekar kaise actor banunga. Log kehte bhi the ki iss kati-pati shakal ka kuch karo… uss time par hota hai. Main toh chala bhi gaya tha, doctor se baat bhi kar li thi ki plastic surgery karwa kar isko theek karo… iska ilaaj karo. Aur unhone bola ki kar bhi denge. Lekin Dev saab ke paas main gaya… woh mujhe bohot maante the… aur unhone kaha ki kabhi mat karna. Tumhari jo personality hai, tum jab kaamyab ho jaoge toh yahi tumhara signature style ho jayega. Unhone kaha ki dekho, mere daanton ke beech mein ek gaddha hai, aur maine aaj tak usse fill up nahi karwaya hai… aur log aaj usse yaad rakhte hain. Toh jo tumko tumhara minus point lagta hai, wohi kal tumhara plus point banega. (I had big dreams, but I was afraid, how would I become an actor with such a scarred face? People would say, ‘Do something about this scarred face.’ At the time, I agreed. I even went to a doctor and asked for plastic surgery to fix it. The doctor said it could be done. But then I went to Dev saab, he believed in me deeply, and he told me, ‘Never do it. Your personality is unique. One day, this will become your signature style.’ He told me, ‘Look, I have a gap between my teeth, and I’ve never filled it… now people remember me for that. What you think is a minus today could be your biggest plus tomorrow.)

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Thankfully, Shatrughan listened to Dev Anand’s wise words. Today, the very features he once wanted to change have become part of his lasting screen identity. Beyond their personal bond, Shatrughan and Dev Anand also collaborated professionally. They shared screen space in at least three notable Hindi films in the early 1970s, Prem Pujari (1970), Gambler (1971), and Shareef Budmaash (1973).