For the first time in his career of 40 years as an actor Shatrughan Sinha has shaved off his moustache. The critical decision to do away with the moustache was taken only after daughter Sonakshi approved.

The tragic relinquishment of the trademark Shotgun mouche came after weeks of persuasion.

“Initially I was taken aback by Ramu’s request. I’ve never taken my moustache off in my entire life except once, and that was when I was still a student at the Film and Television Institute Of India. I wanted to experiment with my looks. My father had gone livid. ‘How could you shave off your moustache when both your parents are still alive?’ he had shouted at me. I had vowed never to touch my moustache, and I never did. Now of course both Baba and Maa are gone…”

Ram Gopal Varma had to cross many hurdles before he could get Shatrughan Sinha to shave off the moustache to play N T Rama Rao.

Chortles the voluble Sinha, “Besides my own inhibitions my wife had to be manoed. But the final decision was left to my daughter. After she relented I agreed on Saturday. Ramu was virtually standing behind me with a razor. I understand his anxiety. To play N. T. Rama Rao I had to be clean-shaven.”

Shatrughan Sinha will also be doing away with his trademark mannerisms and dialogue delivery to play NTR. “None of the flamboyant playing to the galleries. I’m far more restrained here.”

Ironically, the clean-shaven Vivek Oberoi has grown a moustache for Rakta Charitra. There’s much father-son bonding happening between Shatrughan Sinha and Vivek Oberoi in Hyderabad.

Says Shatrughan, “What I really like about Vivek is that he truly loves and respects his parents. I completely understand that. For the first time Ramu is working with the Shatrughan-Vivek jodi. We’ve seen what he can do with the Amitabh-Abhishek pair. Now just see what we do.”