Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; August 9, 2017)

Signing up for a film like Padmavati comes with its share of gruelling training. Shahid Kapoor, who plays Raja Rawal Ratan Singh in the period drama, has been training in sword- fighting over the past month. He has six different trainers, each of whom is training him in a particular style of sword-fighting.

A unit hand reveals, “Rajputana style of sword-fighting is an evolved one, which requires the body to be both strong and agile at the same time. Shahid has been taught bits of Gatka, a mix of Angampora and Kalaripayattu. He is also learning spearplay, as the spear is a customary weapon among Rajputs. He has been training for 24 days now.”

Not just that, to perfect his portrayal of the Rajput king, Kapoor has also learnt the basics of mardani khel (a weapon-based martial art) as well as sqay (a South Asian form of sword- fighting).

The actor has also undergone a change in his diet to maintain the physique for the role. “He is on a protein rich diet, which helps in agility.”

The source adds that the actor hasn’t had the luxury of prepping well in advance for the action sequences. “With a deadline looming large, to meet the November release, there isn’t enough time to prep before shooting. Shahid has no option but to juggle his shooting and training.”