“Is it a workout or Ozempic?” That’s the comment dominating online chatter around Bhuvan Bam’s physical transformation. The actor and content creator, however, insists his approach is about balance. “I can’t make huge sacrifices to attain six-pack abs. I want to do what I can follow for life,” he tells mid-day. Excerpts from the interview:

It began with a project, but soon I realized I wasn’t regular. I was being unfair to my body. Initially, I thought I had to look like certain actors to be in films. Later, I accepted I’d never look like that. Everyone’s body is different. I wanted a physique I could maintain long-term without extreme diets or training.

I eat everything — roti, rice, biryani, chaat papdi — but in moderation. If I indulge one day, I balance it at the gym the next. My day starts with black coffee before workouts, then eggs and a protein shake. Lunch is paneer or chicken with rice, with salad. In the evening, I have sweet potato. Dinner is usually fish or mutton with vegetables, but no rice or bread.

That’s my weak spot. Even if I go to bed at midnight, I often can’t sleep before 6 am. It started in college when I performed late nights. But during shoots, like with The Revolutionaries, I easily adjust and sleep at 11 pm.

I don’t. People don’t see your daily effort, so they assume you are taking shortcuts. I’m documenting my journey and maybe 20 years later, I’ll release it as a full eight-episode series (chuckles).

There are many people in my gym I looked up to. I’d take pictures of my trainer and say, “This guy has such a natural physique. This is possible.” Some actors inspired me too; in Bollywood, Hrithik Roshan has always been an inspiration. If done right, his body is achievable. But for others, I realized that I’ll never be able to do that, which is hopefully good for me. Achieving that kind of body needs huge sacrifice, and I can’t give up biryani or chaat papdi.

Definitely. As a viewer, so many bodies on screen look unattainable. Producers often demand results in two months. I tell them, “I can’t guarantee that. What if I land in a hospital and you have to bear my expenses?” That usually brings logic to the conversation.

My trainer once said, “To get abs, you have to leave everything — even water.” I thought, “What nonsense.” If all actors look the same, it’s an eyesore. An average Indian doesn’t look like that. If I play someone from an underprivileged background with six-pack abs, it’s illogical. Beauty isn’t limited to one body type.