When director Chandraprakash Dwivedi decided to make Prithviraj, he didn’t have to look further than Chand Bardai’s epic poem, Prithviraj Raso, for inspiration (Film based on medieval epic Prithviraj Raso, Apr 23). Bardai, said to be a poet in Prithviraj Chauhan’s court, had developed what is considered a comprehensive retelling of the king’s life. For his big-screen offering, the director chose Sonu Sood to play the learned poet to Akshay Kumar’s warrior king. Sood, who was familiar with Bardai’s work, thoroughly enjoyed going back in time to the 12th century.

The actor says, “I had heard stories of Chand Bardai and Prithviraj Chauhan from my mother, who was a professor of history and English literature. So, playing this character was special for me. My director shared a lot of literature about Chand Bardai, which helped my prep.”

Looking the part of the poet was a tricky and exhausting affair. The actor says he had to use prosthetics to sport a bald avatar, in keeping with his character. “I remember getting ready used to be a [daunting] task due to the prosthetics. I used to start getting ready from 3 am, so that I could be ready for the shot at 8 am. Once I would get into the outfit, my body language used to change. I would start feeling like the character,” says Sood.

He adds that he had to pick up Rajasthani dialect before the movie rolled. “In a period film, everything needs to be right — from the outfits to the diction. I have done many historical dramas, and it was exciting to portray [a new] character.”