For someone who has adhered to a high-octane exercise regimen for a major part of his career, taking on the task of getting “out-of-shape” for a web series was significantly daunting. “I was petrified,” says Maniesh Paul, who gained 10 kilos for the show that sees him as a simpleton accused of being a con man.

“They wanted me to gain weight to come across as someone who [could not be a con man]. All actors fear gaining weight. I was worried about being unable to shed it. Also, in recent times, there is a fear of the things that are happening to people while exercising at the gym,” says Paul, adding that, considering the “mental state that I am in”, he was willing to take on challenges for his cinematic acts.

“I’d rather become the character than look good [on screen]. If the part needed me to gain or shed weight, or go bald, I’d be okay with that.”

As is with actors who are tasked with piling on several kilos, Paul put his cardiovascular and weight-training regimen to a standstill, and hit pause on his monitored meal plans to enjoy a phase of indulgence. “My calorie intake increased significantly and I began to eat everything that I should not. It was amazing; I had meetha, makhan, and other desserts. Since my body reacts quickly to exercise, I barely trained during this phase.” But while his palate continued to be satiated, Paul grew fairly uncomfortable with his paunch.

“Because I am not used to carrying it, I couldn’t even wear my shoes. I started wearing loose clothes so that nobody would know. They’d say, ‘You’re becoming bigger [more muscular]’. But, they couldn’t see my paunch. When they saw it on screen, it served as an element of surprise.”

Evidently then, Paul was eager to return to routine when he had to torch the additional fat. “When I had to return to train, I’d wake up at 4:30 am, and be in the gym at 5:30. My meals were professionally monitored so that I could shed fat and gain [muscle mass]. When I am on a regimen, my meals are taken care of [by a chef], who meets the requirements set by my trainer. He even dictates how much water I must have. When it comes to training the body, I believe it is made in the kitchen. As a Dilli ka ladka, [it was tough to be told] to not eat more than 2,500 calories. But, if a goal is set, I will stick to it,” says the actor, who also stopped consuming sugar for three months.

“When I am on a regimen, I usually consume six meals a day. I had a lot of grilled chicken to shed the weight. If I am working on a project, I turn to salads. I love eggs, and will increase its intake as well. I enjoy vegetable juices too.” Over four days of weight-training sessions each week, Paul focusses on lifting moderately heavy weights, because “if I can see results while lifting 20 kilos alone, I am happy with that”.

A fair share of free-hand exercises, including pull-ups and push-ups, make up his training sessions. “On the other three days, I take to cardio exercises.” He credits his wife Sanyukta for enabling him to keep up his peak performance. “My wife gets worried, because I am always hyper. She ensures I undergo a blood test regularly. In fact, I don’t even know when the concerned person will arrive for the test. Every five months, she will schedule one. There’s no heroism in saying, ‘Nothing will happen to me’, because, after COVID-19, a lot has changed with people’s health.”

- Cardio is important. You don’t need to run, but, a 45-minute walk is [important]. It’s the best thing that you can do for yourself. You may not be able to lift, but you can walk. My father is 76-years old, and he continues to do it.

- Monitor your intake of sweets. You can’t even [comprehend] how detrimental sugar is.

- Health check-ups are important.