Shaheer as Brihannala in MB

Shaheer Sheikh loves to play diverse roles, but he never thought he would get to play a woman. The actor, who will be seen as grown-up Arjuna in Siddharth Kumar Tewary's Mahabharat, will turn into a woman to play Brihannala. To the uninitiated, Arjuna spent the 13th year of his exile in disguise as Brihannala, teaching music and dance to princesses. 

Shaheer says the first question that popped up in his mind once he decided to take on this role was how long it would take to get ready! "I now know what girls go through. It took me around two hours to get ready and I had to apply everything from lipstick to blush. I actually felt like a woman in those heavy clothes. I had to keep reminding myself that my appearance, voice and body language should be like a woman's," he says. 

Ask him about his co-actors' feedback and he says, "They said I looked beautiful. As for me, I felt I won't ever meet a girl hotter than the one I look at in the mirror." 

Pankit Thakker, last seen in Dill Mill Gayye a couple of years back, is returning with a show titledKis Din Mera Viyah Hovega. He will be seen playing a man and woman simultaneously. He will disguise himself as a woman to hide his real identity. He says, "It takes me two hours to transform into a woman. However, it's not very difficult as the salwar-kameez I wear feels like kurta-pajama. And extra care has been taken to ensure that it is done tastefully."