By Subhash K Jha

It looks like method acting is in. A whole lot of actors from Abhishek Bachchan in Guru to Sammir Dattani in Mukhbiir are going all out to look right and get into the skin of their characters.

For Guru Abhishek ladled on the kilos to look like a prosperous businessman. For Mukhbiir Sammir spent weeks using the gun knife and sword to get a hang of the assassin's part.

For Shoot-out At Lokhandwala many of the actors spent time with real-life gangsters to feel their viewpoint . And to play the Tamil woman in Rohit Roy's Rice Plate, Bollywood's most seasoned method actor Shabana Azmi has been spending time with women of that fraternity.

Now one hears of the talented Tisca Chopra last seen as the volatile Bahu in the quasi-Gandhi family in the political soap Sarkar, is pulling out all (bottle) stops to play an acoholic.

For Tisca Sanjay Gupta's Alibaug is a heaven-sent opportunity. "Even if Sanjay had told me to pick any role I'd have opted for the part of the alcoholic Naina. It's a role that requires a great deal of preparation."

In real life Tisca isn't much of a drinker. "I'm a social drinker. And to play someone who can't hold her drinks won't be easy for me."

Tisca plans to consult someone who has been through a similar addiction.

"I'm myself addicted to chocolates. So I know what craving is all about. I've been attending Naseeruddin Shah's workshops for the past year. He has been doing this intense workship for 7-8 actors. And I feel I'm enriched and famished as an actor."