Udaan’s Rajat Barmecha on his physical transformation: I’ve not got projects because makers think I’m young

He made his onscreen debut at the age of 21 with Udaan (2010), and today, at 33, actor Rajat Barmecha is ready with his new avatar. Shedding his boy-next-door image, he has worked hard and got fitter.

The actor started working on his physique in June 2021. “I didn’t have a structure, I was lean. (Though) I didn’t have any health issues,” says Barmecha, who posted a picture of his physical transformation on Instagram with a long post talking about his year-long journey.

For an industry that is obsessed with a certain way its protagonists look, Barmecha’s acting chops didn’t matter much. He admits being removed from projects because he didn’t look a certain way. “No one directly came and told me that I needed to work on my physique. But I didn’t get those parts or projects. Most people still remember me the way I looked in Udaan. But they have an image of me. The most common thing that I get is ‘Oh you’ve got a beard’, but they don’t realise it’s been 12 years. I’ve got no projects because they think I’m young,” rues Barmecha.

However, he adds that losing projects, especially due to his looks, doesn’t affect him anymore. He cites his spiritual transformation as the reason behind his nonchalance. “Five years back, it would affect me. It did affect me when things weren’t coming my way. I felt those emotions, but the travelling, backpacking, and spirituality parts really helped me deal with these situations. I’m not chasing anything; I just want to be happy every day. I will try my best to get the best work out of this industry. But my work is a part of me. It’s not going to define me,” the actor concludes.