Rajshri Deshpande’s Look in ‘Baapya’ Becomes a Major Talking Point on Social Media!

Baapya, a film that explores love, relationships and friendship from a fresh angle, is winning strong audience response—particularly for Rajshri Deshpande’s transformative portrayal. Viewers are moved by her character’s arc from Shailaja to Shailesh, and her new look has become a major talking point on social media.
Though cinema has seen women don masculine appearances before, Rajshri’s transformation in Baapya goes far beyond makeup and costumes. The role sensitively depicts the mental, emotional and physical changes that unfold in a person’s life. The story highlights a gentle side of relationships and friendship that transcends gender labels.

Audiences have praised Rajshri’s facial expressions, body language, vocal changes and the natural ease with which she inhabits each stage of the character’s evolution. She prepared intensely—working hard on both psychological and physical aspects of the role. A video of her metamorphosis from Shailaja to Shailesh recently went viral and received widespread appreciation.

On the role, Rajshri Deshpande said, “The journey from Shailaja to Shailesh was both challenging and deeply rewarding. The external look was only part of it. Understanding what the character feels inside—her emotional struggles, the process of self‑acceptance and the way her worldview changes—was far more important. At every stage Shailaja shifts, and that change shows not only in appearance but in behaviour, speech and thought.”

Baapya is presented by Working Eye Films and directed by Sameer Tiwari. Produced by Muktal Telang and Sameer Tiwari, the film features Girish Kulkarni, Rajshri Deshpande, Devika Daftardar, Shrikant Yadav, Aryan Mengji and Gauri Kiran in key roles. Baapya’s release has met with enthusiastic audience response across the board.

By Keerti Kadam