Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
Aishwarya Rai BachchanIANS

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is picture perfect as Dalbir Kaur in the new song still from "Sarbjit." In a bright red salwar kameez, the actress is seen lining her eyes with kohl.

The look is a welcome departure from the first-look and a few photos released by the makers, in which she looks haggard and distraught. Although they set the tone for the film, which is intense and serious, the new photo highlights Dalbir's better times.

The actress isn't the only one sporting different looks. Randeep Hooda, who plays the titular role, lost 18 kilos in four weeks to look the part. However, the drastic transformation wasn't easy as he went into a low calorie diet of proteins and greens.

"I couldn't even ride my horses, I was so weak I was afraid I'd fall and break my neck," he told the Mumbai Mirror. Randeep is now back to being 84 kilos.

Director Omung Kumar's "Sarbjit" is about Dalbir's brave and unending fight to release her brother Sarabjit from a Pakistan prison. The Indian national was convicted of terrorism by Pakistan's Supreme Court and sentenced to death in 1991.

The sentence was pardoned and he was to walk free when fellow inmates of Central Jail Lahore attacked Sarabjit. He suffered head injuries, went into a coma and died May 2, 2013.

Aishwarya, at the first poster release earlier this month, told IANS that it was a story every Indian needed to know. "It's a subject we are all very familiar with and those who are not, we were very keen that they get to know this story because it's a very important one that we as a nation would need to understand, recognise and respect," she said.

The biopic arrives in theatres May 19 and also features Richa Chaddha and Darshan Kumar in key roles.