R Madhavan believes in getting under the skin of the character he is playing. Even if that means going to crazy lengths of physical transformation to get it right.
The actor is playing a boxer in the Hindi-Tamil bi-lingual on a boxer's life called Laal. Playing a boxer means bulking up, and the actor did put on almost 15 kgs for the role. But that isn't where it ended. The role required him to acquire a lisp. So instead of faking a lisp, like most actors do, he decided to take a rather painful route. He got himself some braces. He says, "Most boxers have trouble talking because they are hit on their jaw very often during boxing matches. That's why you will notice that many boxers have trouble speaking normally. And to play a boxer I had to get that correct and make it seem natural. So instead of faking a lisp, I got these braces, which are called lingual braces. They are fixed behind your teeth and others can't see them."
Maddy has been living with the braces for almost a year now. "Yes, I am kind of used to them by now. Faking a lisp couldn't be so natural." Wearing the braces sure has helped the actor, but it does come with its share of troubles too. "I have cut my tongue in the initial phase. Also I can't say some words properly. There's a faint whistling sound that you can hear when I speak certain words."
The actor believes that the pain has been worth it. "It definitely has made a lot of difference." And though the shooting for the movie is over, Maddy still has his braces on. "As soon as I finish my dubbing next month, I'll take them off."
What are lingual braces
Lingual braces are the same as traditional metal braces, except that the brackets and wires are placed on the inside of teeth. These braces are also called incognito braces. They are invisible from outside, but are said to be uncomfortable for the wearer especially in the initial phase.
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