Wrestler Danish Akhtar Saifi was picked up by makers of Siya Ke Ram to portray the role of Hanuman during one of his matches. He shared how he had to work on his physique and lose 15 kg to attain the required look. By Anushka Bansal
He can fly over lands and seas, is fearless and his devotion towards his lord Ram is unquestionable. Hanuman, undoubtedly, is one of the key characters without whom the Ramayan would not have existed. And our Indian entertainment industry cannot seem to have had enough of him. Over the last two decades there have been several interpretations of the epic, Ramayan, and more than the three principal characters of Ram, Sita and laxman, it is perhaps Hanuman, whose characterisation has been most worked upon.
When it comes to the portrayal of Hanuman, it is Dara Singh who comes to mind, from Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayana.
Of late, in another show, actor Nirbhay Wadhwa has breathed new life into the monkey God. Now, Danish Akhtar Saifi will embody this much loved, revered and worshipped character in Star Plus’s magnum opus, Siya ke Ram.
Interestingly, Akhtar is neither an actor nor an aspirant.
He is a 23-year old wrestler from Bihar, training under the Great Khali. Show producer Nikhil Sinha happened to spot the young boy at one of the wrestling matches in the Continental Wrestling Entertainment in Jalandhar and decided to make him the face of Hanuman.
Akhtar, on the other hand, seems to have taken the role quite seriously as on a promotional tour to Delhi, he first visited the famous Hanuman temple in Karol Bagh to seek blessings before his track starts rolling.
He broke the silence about his much awaited debut, and said, “I have read the Ramayan before but I reread it again and have been watching Dara Singh’s portrayal of the character to get some inspiration and points. Also I am trying to learn the Hanuman chalisa,” he said.
Talking about his role, Danish said,“Hanuman is one of the most loved characters in Ramayan. Everyone is well aware about his loyalty towards Ram. He was a soul who was always in the quest of knowledge, questioning anything and everything just to find out the truth. In Ram, Hanuman finds the person who can quench his thirst for knowledge thus accepting him as his guru.”
Standing six feet and six inches tall, it was not too taxing for Akhtar to sculpt a body that would befit Hanuman. But he did have to work on his physique.
“Since it was my physique that helped me bag the role, I am leaving no stone unturned to ensure that I get everything right. I am taking extra care of my diet and workout regime and have lost 15 kg for it, too. The makers have specific guidelines in mind and I am adhering to that. I am trying to look the way they envision Hanuman,” Akhtar added.
Asked about his TV debut, he said, “I never thought that I would end up in this field. Everything feels like a dream. Producer Nikhil Sinha saw one of my wrestling matches and that’s when he discovered me and discussed about taking me on board.”
He added, “It was his vision that convinced me to portray the legendary Hanuman’s character. I have been working on my acting skills since the last three months and reading up on the character to be able to represent it in the desired way. I am really excited and can't wait to begin shooting.”
Watch Siya Ke Ram, Monday to Sunday at 8pm on Star Plus.