Nirbhay Wadhwa, who is part of the show Shrimad Ramayan, talks about his role as Lord Hanuman and his preparation for it

What preparation did you undertake to portray the role of Lord Hanuman in Shrimad Ramayan?

Over the years, I have been blessed with multiple opportunities to play Lord Hanuman, including Sankatmochan Mahabali Hanuman, which was also aired on Sony Entertainment Television. I’ve always felt a divine connection with Lord Hanuman and truly feel blessed to have the good fortune of playing him in Shrimad Ramayan as well. I didn’t particularly face any challenges, but I had to work on my body to embrace the strength that Lord Hanuman is known for. I work on my facial expressions too, as this role requires me to wear a prosthetic mask, and emoting with it is a challenge.

Hanuman is often depicted as a symbol of devotion and loyalty. How do you convey these qualities in your performance?

When it comes to my performance, I try to express myself through my eyes since my face has prosthetics, which limits movement. However, I strive to convey emotions as aesthetically as possible, in order to bring out his devotion and loyalty towards Lord Ram.

How has your portrayal of Lord Hanuman evolved over time?

Honestly, when I played Lord Hanuman for the first time, my primary source of research was the internet. After gaining immense popularity, I started receiving offers for events, where I further learnt about him. Even our visit to Ayodhya for the promotion of Shrimad Ramayan helped me expand my knowledge. On a personal level, I am grateful that my anger issues have been resolved, largely due to Lord Hanuman’s influence on me. I have become more forgiving.

How has your experience of working with the cast been so far?

I haven’t had the opportunity to shoot many scenes with the other cast members, but from what I have observed every actor is true to their role and works very hard to play their part right.

What makes you keep returning to the character of Hanuman?

It’s a blessing! I never asked for the role of Lord Hanuman; offers always came my way. So, yes, I feel really grateful.