When Shatru Shaved Off His Moochi

Ram
Gopal
Varma’s

Rakht
Charitra
released
on
October
22,
2010.

It
was
the
first
and
last
film
for
which
Shatrughan
Sinha
was
persuaded
to
shave
off
his
trademark
moustache.

“Should
I
get
it
copyrighted,
like
Anil
Kapoor’s

Jhakaas
and
Jackie’s
Bhidu?”
Shatruji
asks

Subhash
K
Jha
with
a
laugh.

“It
was
my
first
and
last
film
with
Ramu,
Vivek
Oberoi
and
Producer
Madhu
Mantena.
They
were
such
a
joy
to
work
with.
Very
professional.
Interesting
and
eager
to
do
something
out
of
the
box.”

The
relinquishment
of
the
trademark
Shotgun
mouche
came
after
weeks
of
persuasion.

Initially,
Shatruji
was
taken
aback
by
Ramu’s
request.

He
had
never
shaved
off
his
moustache,
except
once
when
he
was
a
student
at
the
Film
and
Television
Institute
Of
India,
trying
to
experiment
with
his
looks.

His
father
had
gone
livid.

Thereafter,
Shatruji
had
vowed
never
to
touch
his
moustache.

Ram
Gopal
Varma
had
to
cross
many
hurdles
before
he
could
get
Shatrughan
Sinha
to
shave
off
the
moustache
to
play
actor
and
former
Andhra
Pradesh
chief
minister
N
T
Rama
Rao.

Ironically,
the
clean-shaven
Vivek
Oberoi
had
grown
a
moustache
for

Rakht
Charitra.

Recalling
the
experience
of
making

Rakht
Charitra,
Madhu
Mantena
says,
“Rakht
Charitra
is
a
film
I
am
proud
of
to
this
day.
I
never
got
to
work
with
Shatruji
after
this,
but
I
hope
to
soon.”