Having battled obesity since childhood, Arjun Kapoor is a prime example of how one can attain their fitness goals with the help of a healthy life and regular workout. The actor, who is required to sport a muscular frame in Ek Villain Returns, roped in former world kickboxing champion Drew Neal in February to guide him to attain the body type. What followed was six months of intense workouts that developed his core strength and enhanced his agility.

“I have dealt with obesity. So, I have to work harder than most people to achieve a certain body type that is required to play a Hindi film hero. If I do the same thing every day, I feel uninspired.”

It is his drive to experiment with workout forms that led him to Neal.  “With him, I realised after a point that it’s all in the mind. The more focused you are, the better the results,” says Kapoor.

The actor, who will share screen space with John Abraham in the thriller, reveals that Drew not only helped him tone his physique, but also made him adopt a holistic approach that goes beyond his two-hour workout at the gym. “Drew understands that I need to be focused mentally and physically. For him, it’s not always about the end result, but also about being consistent. I have put in an excruciating amount of hard work to achieve the transformation. I’m happy that people are noticing the change.”