Priyanka Chopra famously appeared bald in a powerful scene from the 2014 biopic Mary Kom. Though it looked entirely real on screen, she didn’t actually shave her head for the role. Instead, the bald appearance was created using expertly applied prosthetic makeup.
The decision to go with prosthetics instead of digital effects was intentional. The team behind the film felt that visual effects wouldn't capture the realism they were aiming for. The prosthetics allowed Priyanka to portray the emotional depth of the moment while maintaining the authenticity of the character.
Priyanka embraced the transformation with full dedication. She believed it was her responsibility to do justice to the story of the celebrated boxer, Mary Kom. Even though she didn’t go fully bald in real life for that scene, she has expressed openness to shaving her head completely if a future role required it.
Her bald look in Mary Kom remains one of the most striking and memorable moments in her film career.