The trick is to make the 48-year-old look much younger than his age for the role of the poet. The makeup artiste has been working on Irrfan's face and body language to arrive at a look that would knock at least 10 years off Irrfan's actual age.
"I play a 'shayar' who is completely in love with Priyanka Chopra. Yes, the makeup artiste has worked out a look around my strange face so that for the first time I look different. In any case, if one has to woo Priyanka, one automatically glows with romantic enthusiasm. She's very inspiring," Irrfan, told IANS.
"I can't reveal any more about my character. But I must thank Vishal Bharadwaj for allowing me to court two of the most beautiful women on screen. It was Tabu in 'Maqbool' and now Priyanka in this film," said Irrfan.
The actor played a love-stuck poet in Govind Nihalani's "Drishti" (1990) where he romanced an older woman, played by Dimple Kapadia. In "Saat Khoon Maaf" again Irrfan plays a besotted lover boy. And to help Irrfan get passionately poetic, there's the inimitable Gulzar's poetry that would be used for his character.
Gulzar has apparently written some of his most romantic lines ever for Irrfan to woo Priyanka with. A diehard Gulzar, fan Priyanka can't wait to be wooed with the luscious poetry that Irrfan would be reciting. Bharadwaj is shooting the film in Kashmir.