In an era where social media platforms brim with posts that call attention to the physical and mental fatigue that settles in after the age of 30, a conversation with Anupam Kher serves as an awakening. “I don’t have the desperation to be young; I have the desperation to be youthful,” says Kher, 69, who considers, explores, and completes projects within the span of time that most would spend merely mulling over an idea.

Ever so often, our conversations trace back to the concept of discovering oneself. “I’ve decided I’m not going to be called a thespian, legend, or veteran. I will not accept a lifetime achievement award for another 15 years. Some people are happy to do so, and I am proud of them. But I feel that the world constantly tries to put you in a slot — 'He has worked a lot. Let’s give him a lifetime achievement award’. I don’t want that. You have to reinvent yourself; think about how the next three years of your life should turn out,” says the actor, showcasing the kind of passion for his craft, and his life, that evades individuals several years younger.

It was early on in his career that Kher decided to bank on his acting prowess to pick roles that were, until then, unfamiliar. Evidently then, when news of his latest offering hit headlines, fans were excited but not surprised. After all, who other than him would be better suited to play the part of an unconditioned 69-year-old who aspires to complete a triathlon?

“What you see in this film is a 69-year-old man who gets into shape by the end of the film [as he trains] to participate in the triathlon. Off screen, I was correspondingly living the same life. Among the most defining things I did as part of my preparation was learn to swim. I did that last year after [overcoming] what could be described as a sense of phobia of water. I had wanted to learn to swim 42 years ago. But my trainer thought that pushing somebody, an adult, into the pool would be a great way to teach him to swim. But that works for children, not grown-ups,” he says, recalling the event that subsequently dissuaded him from learning the art.

“For this film, my director suggested using a [body double], But what is the point of doing a movie on a triathlon if I couldn’t do a decent job? Somebody suggested a trainer, and he methodically taught me to swim. Within 10 days, I [overcame] my fear of water, and could breathe calmly in the pool. Slowly, I [learned] freestyle, and backstroke.”

While replicating his strokes in the open waters of Mulshi Ghat required adjustment, Kher says he eventually found the process “therapeutic”.

Trading his traditional walking routine for running bouts, Kher worked with a physiotherapist to prevent injuries that could come about from his altered regimen.

“My body was not accustomed to doing certain things. My running bouts had to synchronize with the goals of my physiotherapist, and I’d have therapy sessions three times a day. Furthermore, while I knew how to cycle before this film came my way, I had to learn the correct posture for the race, and the manner in which the sports cycle is used since it differs from the regular cycles. I get a kick out of this. There is a certain validation and pleasure that you derive when you do a sporty film after the age of 60. I felt like an athlete.”

While the sports-specific training he endured was one part of his prep to play a marathoner, Kher had to simultaneously work on improving his stamina to ensure that his performance didn’t take a hit due to the retakes demanded by his director.

“When you are acting, you can improve with each take because you have been trained to do so. But in order to do three takes of a swimming, cycling, or running bout, and do so while maintaining the required posture, I needed to put in extra work.”  

If the physical aspect posed a challenge to the actor, the character’s temperament led to mental fatigue. He refuses to describe Vijay as a regular person with aspirations of completing a coveted race.

“He is angry. This is a 69-year-old failed man; he does not have anything substantial to add to his list of credits. At this age, he realizes that he has nothing to boast about, and he is angry with himself. Anger is a tiring emotion. It requires more energy to pull off. I wanted to showcase the character with a certain amount of frustration.”

Despite the precautions that may be put in place, a sports film continues to pose a threat to those involved in athletic activities. Pointing to a recently cut trailer, Kher reveals, “The tears you see in that shot are real, because I broke my shoulder while filming it. We were filming at 6 am, and I [incorrectly] hit the brakes of the cycle and [fell], and dislocated my shoulder. My director suggested that we head to the hospital, but [I insisted] that we wrap up the scenes. Evidently, I have given my blood, sweat, and bone to this film,” he chuckles.

It was eight years ago that Kher decided that his walking regimen wasn’t sufficient to keep him in good stead. Having once disregarded the need for a physical fitness trainer, he says he increasingly realised that his body wasn’t as agile as his mind.

“I used to think [our ancestors] had stayed fit by walking, and that was enough. But I began to [appreciate] the science of fitness. Now, I cannot help but wonder how much I would have benefitted had I taken to training sooner. I used to host the show, Kuch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai, the clips of which often pop up on social media. I look like a potato in them. My mind’s agility is at its peak, and if I can get my body to match that, it will be a lethal combination.”

Like every other gym goer, Kher wakes up with an aching body, and is often dissuaded to train another day. “But, I encourage myself to go on. To think about problems and converse with yourself about them is also stimulating for the mind. You live once; try to be healthy for your own self.”

Before he signs off, Kher lets us in on a nugget of information. “In some time, you’ll learn of a project I am part of for which I need to lose eight kilos. I have already lost six. It is the most gruelling, boring, and frightening process, because I am a foodie. Even though I have been following a disciplined [lifestyle since] seven years, this is drastic. I haven’t done something like this in my entire life, but it was required because I only had four months to do it. But it gives me a kick. More than the physical benefits, it helps train the mind.”

A popular notion in the fitness community is that if you wish to know whether or not a person practices CrossFit, you need not do much. Why? Because a person who practices CrossFit will brag about doing so anyway, at every afforded opportunity. Anupam Kher, 66, seems to be in the midst of a similar phase in his life. He speaks about fitness with child-like enthusiasm, admitting that having dedicatedly taken to it only six years ago, he considers being the muse of a fitness-related interview, a “cheap thrill”. Out and about with his “young friends” like Varun Dhawan and Aditya Roy Kapur, his relatively newly acquired interest makes him “contemporary”, and now an active participant in conversations about training. Ever-so-often, he finds joy in asking his colleagues to “touch my biceps” to monitor his progress, or notice his shirts becoming tighter.

Unlike the array of actors bagging negative roles in Bollywood, Kher says his formative years were not defined by the need to look bulky. “[Anti-heroes] like my character, Dr Dang [Karma], were [cerebral]. They had to look like normal human beings. Also, the other negative characters that I played were of the kind that didn’t require me to gain weight. I was usually the mama or taya of another character. Also, what worked to my advantage was that I started my career playing characters that were older than I was at the time. I played a 65-year-old when I was 28, played Hema Malini’s father, and grandfather to Rishi [Kapoor] and Anil [Kapoor]. That was an advantage. Because, as years passed, people didn’t see me as a [young man growing old].”

At his heaviest at 94 kilos six years ago, Kher realised he had been looking fuller, and decided to train his focus on a fitness routine. After a fair share of trial and error — involving walking excessively to clock 10,000 steps, then 15,000 and subsequently, 20,000, on his fitness tracker — and ending up with a knee injury, he sought professional help. An amalgamation of walking, yoga practice and weight-training helped him knock off 11 kilos. “At parties, people praised me for the way I looked. That is intoxicating. Being fit has made me approach my roles with a different attitude. Sharing posts on Instagram implies that by making my journey accessible to the public, I am more inclined to stick to my routine. No one will want to see me [out of shape] again.”

Kher talks about his love for food and sweets with adulation. “What’s a Gujarati thaali without aamras, or roti without ghee?” he asks, pulling up a piece of chocolate and stating that should he give into his temptation, this would be his second indulgence in the day. “But, I am generally disciplined. I don’t like to drink, and don’t smoke. I think walking is an amazing exercise. When I was in New York, I loved to walk. I also prefer walking in hill stations.” 

I begin the day with: Water and saffron that has been stored overnight in a copper vessel. I follow it up with soaked almonds and walnuts.

My preferred choice of breakfast: Poha or one paratha. In the day, I also consume coconut water. 

Eating pattern I prefer: I eat every two hours. I cannot take to a format like intermittent fasting, where all that you think about for 24 hours is food. 

Foods I enjoy: I prefer eating rice over roti, as has been recommended to me. I enjoy Gujarati and Bengali food.