Unveiling the enigmatic Buddha …
Actor Himanshu to play the coveted title role in Zee TV & Spice
Studio’s biopic of the great spiritual leader
Over the last few weeks, Zee TV and
Spice Studio’s historical magnum opus ‘Buddha’ has
beautifully captured the early life of Prince Siddharth and attempted
to answer some of the questions people may have about the young man
who went on to become one of the world’s greatest spiritual leaders.
However, information about the young actor playing the role of the
grown up Prince Siddharth was kept strictly under wraps!
Now, as the show gets ready to delve
into the life of Prince Siddharth as he matured into a fine, young man, the
time has come to reveal the actor who has been chosen to play this
coveted role. After much contemplation and a global search that has
spanned several countries, Zee TV and Spice Studios has found their perfect
Prince Siddharth in budding actor Himanshu. With such microscopic
attention to detail that went into the casting process, it was not an
easy task to zero in on an actor who met most of
the characteristics and qualities that the producers were looking for
in Buddha. After going through almost a thousand actor profiles, a young
budding actor from Jaipur was finally selected for the role.
The elaborate casting process was but
the tip of the iceberg when it came to getting into the character of
Buddha. After being cast, Himanshu underwent extensive creative sessions with
both the producer and director to understand every nuance of the
character and demeanor of Prince Siddharth. To understand
the mindscape and tranquility of Buddha’s
temperament, the actor was even given a quiet apartment to help him
meditate and remain peaceful while preparing for the role. While a
serene temperament played a huge part in the preparation process,
rigorous physical training was also required and included intensive
fitness training, yoga sessions, martial arts & horse riding.
Post all of his preparation for the role, Himanshu continues
to work out on the sets to maintain his chiseled physique. The actor
has lost around 15 kgs to get the contoured physique that is
seen onscreen.
When asked about
the decision of choosing Himanshu as the lead, Dr. B.K Modi, Chairman, Spice
Studios said, "We auditioned scores of actors, both seasoned and
newcomers, but Himanshu fit the character’s description like a glove. Out
of the 32 characteristics of Buddha, Himanshu met 28 of those.
His down to earth and likeable persona was key for the character's successful portrayal.
We put him through rigorous training for martial arts, tai
chi, dialogue delivery, acting amongst several others to mold him
into Prince Siddhrarth's role and he's come out polished, shinning
like a prince."
It is known that the show was
initially supposed to be made into a film with filmmakers Shekhar
Kapur and Ashutosh Gowariker heading the research and
script development. However, the project had to be shelved as
the makers weren’t able to find the right actor to play the role of
Buddha. While Hollywood heartthrob Orlando Bloom was Shekhar
Kapur’s initial choice, the search for the perfect Buddha was expanded
globally with countless actors aspiring to bag the role of Buddha.
Newcomer Himanshu said, “It is
an honour to play a character as significant and important as
Buddha. I have undergone rigorous fitness training, yoga
and martial arts sessions, each of which made it easier for me to
understand the body language and the depth of the character and
persona of Prince Siddharth as well as his journey to becoming
Buddha. The faith that the producers and the channel have shown
in me is monumental and I hope I have done justice to the part.”
Watch Himanshu essay
the title role as the legacy of Prince Siddharth unfolds
with him journeying towards enlightenment, every Sunday at 11
am on Buddha, only on Zee TV from October 13th 2013.
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