Actor Abhimanyu Singh, who recently played a transgender character, Devi, in his latest outing Inspector Avinash, admits that the preparation required a lot of “hard work”.

“I had to shave my legs and hands, a realisation that dawned upon my team after they draped a saree on me,” he says, adding, “It was the first time I wore a saree, but I was comfortable once I donned the outfit. The role was challenging because it had to be bang on. Even a little bit of caricaturish acting or overacting would’ve spoilt the game completely.”

The actor, who is known for portraying intense characters in projects including Rakta Charitra (2010) and Taish (2018), delves into the intricacies of his transformation: “Breaking my body language was also a big deal. I had to look convincing, that required a lot of patience. It took me more than one and a half hours to get ready, along with my makeup and hair.”

Talking about the dedication he puts into his work, the 48-year-old shares, “Whatever roles come my way, I try to make them more meaningful and give full conviction to that character,” says the actor who will next be seen in NTR 30. However, he wraps up the chat on a tantalizing thought that his “best is yet to come”.