Showing posts with label Arjun Kapoor weight. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Arjun Kapoor weight. Show all posts
My parents split up, and I looked at food for solutions-Arjun Kapoor
10:18 AM
BOMBAY TIMES (November 14, 2025)
At FICCI’s Young Leaders Summit, Arjun Kapoor gave a glimpse into his personal battles — with grief, body image and mental health — and how he is healing. Excerpts...
‘NEVER WANTED TO BE AN ACTOR’
Talking about his early exposure to films, the actor shared, “My father (Boney Kapoor) was making films since I remember, and my uncle (Anil Kapoor) was one of the biggest stars in the country. I grew up around cinema. My love for films was very pure. I never wanted to be an actor. I wanted to make films. I still do. I want to produce and direct films.”
Arjun said, “Acting just happened. I went for an workshop with Varun Dhawan to see how it feels to live vicariously through another character. I started enjoying being other people except myself.”
‘OBESITY AFFECTS PEOPLE IN VARIOUS WAYS’
The actor also opened up about how his parents’ separation affected him. “I was not an obese kid, but then my parents split up, and I obviously looked at food for solutions. A lot of us have gone through that. I think it doesn’t matter what age you are; it depends on your emotions and mental wellbeing. I understand how obesity affects people in various ways. You can wake up and have a thin day and a fat day. I still have that,” he said.
‘MY MOTHER UNDERSTOOD WHAT I WAS GOING THROUGH’
Arjun shared, “My mother understood what I was going through. My sister and I both suffered where obesity was concerned. Mentally, I was a strong kid. I understood what my parents had been through at that point. So, I took life as it came, but the journey to lose weight took me four years. I had a solid foundation in my mother, she allowed me to take those three-and-a-half years to drop 50 kgs, also, I had professional aspirations.”
He further added, “My mental health actually was not triggered by obesity. I have a lot of self-confidence. But where mental health was concerned, it was my sister who started talking about it. I didn’t realize that the obstacles I had faced — obesity, making my career the way I did, my parents’ separation, and of course, the attention and eyeballs — had affected me. You become a star overnight, and suddenly you are scrutinized — the way you look, the way you talk, the way you express, the way you behave off camera, on camera, everything,” he recalled.
‘I’m a big advocate for help because I have realised its value’
Arjun shared that therapy has helped him find a balance. “The pandemic gave me a moment of realization, and I started therapy after that because I realized I’m the big brother who’s always been there — taking care of my friends, my family, but he needs help, too. I’m a big advocate for help because I have realized its value. It’s like you declutter your mind. A lot of people don’t have that outlet and suffocate. Once you let things out of your mind and express them, you realize how smart and sensible you are. The biggest problem is that vulnerable people are looked upon as weak. I think the strongest people in this world are those who are emotional and vulnerable.”
My battle with obesity is very deep rooted; I am somebody who can put on weight by just breathing around food-Arjun Kapoor
8:05 AM
Harshada Rege (BOMBAY TIMES; June 23, 2022)
Arjun Kapoor often shares posts about his fitness journey on social media. In fact, he recently shared pictures of his physical transformation and is in a happy space where his health is concerned. However, by his own admission, it has been tough to stay on course. The fight for him is not about flaunting a chiselled physique, but to stay healthy. In a chat with Bombay Times, he spoke about being vocal about his battle with obesity, staying focused and the exciting phase ahead where his career is concerned. Excerpts:
You have been extremely vocal about obesity and your battle with it. Today, it has been acknowledged as a growing health problem that needs to be tackled on a larger scale.
Well, I have been battling it since I can remember...waking up for the last 20 odd years with it. It’s not really been an easy task. People assume that when you lose weight, it’s done, but the tougher part is maintaining that. It’s never over. Even today, when I wake up every morning, I have to be conscientious and aware. My battle is very deep-rooted; I fight it every day with a smile on my face. There are some really bad days also. For anybody out there who needs inspiration, I am happy that I can inspire them, but I am as vulnerable as the next person. I am somebody who can put on weight by just breathing around food, so I have to be very aware of that. More than anything, I wanted to get fitter. I think I have now got back to being fit, taking care of my body, loving myself and valuing my body. I’d lost that ability to care for myself. I was so lost in work that I thought it would take care of itself. That’s what I wanted to remind them… that even if you gain weight, you can’t stop loving yourself. You have to try to lose weight for the right reasons, it can’t just be for the superficial part, which obviously exists.
At the end of the day, when you see that a virus can trap all of us in these circumstances, you realise how important your health is. Obesity leads to sugar issues, heart problems and blood pressure… the way food is looked at in our country, there’s always an excess. You have to realise how to take care of yourself.
A huge part of one’s fitness journey is having the right information instead of just being influenced by health fads. You often try to motivate people and create awareness through your posts. Do you plan to do more in this area?
To spread awareness, I think you have first to be aware of yourself how much you can do and how much you can achieve. I have done it very slowly and systematically like I did the first time. I am still at it. My hashtag says work in progress, and it will continue. I feel most people are like me. I do want to do a lot more, in due course, so it’s not easy to explain. With every passing day, I want to be able to build the belief that people who follow me or watch my work, or my Instagram account, realise that this is real. This problem exists within them and me. We have to tackle it. I would like to set up something way bigger and I am working towards it. I want to do something very concrete to make sure that the awareness spreads far and wide for young kids not to be affected, perhaps the way I did unknowingly, because I didn’t have the right information.
A part of your fitness regime also involves yoga now. How has it changed your lifestyle?
In recent times, my mind was very restless and that is when yoga came in. Finishing work, starting new work, shutdown of work and being stuck in between… all of that took a toll. I wanted to calm myself, and yoga helped me go back to meditating, breathing and just calming my mind. Also, I overthink a lot (smiles)… that’s how I function. Yoga helped me be still, just be in the moment and be awakened and blank for a bit. That’s something we all need from time to time not to be in the past or future but to just be in the present.
Moving on to your work, your next few projects are quite a mixed bag — Kuttey, The Ladykiller and Ek Villain Returns — and has you sharing screen space with actors like Tabu and Naseeruddin Shah. Would you say that you are on to an exciting phase of your career?
Definitely! It’s my most exciting phase. A couple of years ago, I wouldn’t have imagined having such a unique mix. However, I’ve always tried to do it. When I was doing Mubarakan, I was also doing a Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar. I have always tried to mix it up. But yes, this is pushing it to a whole new level. Also, I get to work with fantastic actors like Tabu, Tara Sutaria, John Abraham, Radhika Madan, Kumud Mishra sir, Naseer sir and Bhumi Pednekar. It’s an exciting phase of collaborating with great minds, great producers, directors and actors.
What has changed when it comes to selecting the projects that you do now?
Earlier, when my career began, many films that I signed were no-brainers when someone is starting out... like a double role with Aurangzeb and then movies like 2 States and Gunday. Meanwhile, Tevar was a home production. I wanted to be somebody who could dabble between a Finding Fanny and a Gunday, so I chose those. Today, when I am selecting a film, I am trying to do stuff that I have not done before, and subconsciously, in a strange sort of way, I am also trying to do things that I have got appreciation for. It’s a space where you select material where you want to push the envelope, but at the same time try to find some sort of overlap, where the audience has engaged with you in those spaces, albeit in a different story. I always liked doing all kinds of things; perhaps that’s my strength or weakness. Maybe, now I have found a slight logic behind choosing material that is unique and yet has a semblance of accepted tones.
I realized that I was running a rat race without taking care of myself-Arjun Kapoor
8:22 AM
Arjun Kapoor on his physical transformation and how he is still ‘work in progress’
Sugandha Rawal (HINDUSTAN TIMES; May 12, 2022)
Arjun Kapoor has been working hard for the last 15 months to acquire a well-defined physique. The actor recently shared a jaw-dropping transformation picture that got the internet talking. “When the first lockdown happened, I wondered what I could do to get out of the rut of not being able to cope, physically. I realized that I was running a rat race without taking care of myself,” says Kapoor, who is now a decade old in the industry, as Ishaqzaade (2012) turns 10.
In fact, before his debut, too, Kapoor worked hard to shed some kilos. This time, the pandemic-induced lockdown gave him time to reinvent. “Before I started out, I lost around 50 kg. I was in my 20s then. From 143 kg, I reached 93 kg. But 10 years later, my body has changed. I’ve had injuries, health issues, workload, etc. But it’s not like I’m not mentally capable. It just takes longer to do it, which is why it took me 15 months to get into shape,” says the 36-year-old.
So what motivated him to sweat it out? “I realized that the motivation comes from my work. I want to get respect and love from the audience and I’ll do anything for that,” says Kapoor, who is currently shooting for his next project in Manali (Himachal Pradesh).
He adds that people become judgemental if you are not able to work on your physique. “When you are not able to physically transform, a lot gets misconstrued. People think that he is not working hard. And that’s not true in my case. I’m very focused, otherwise you wouldn’t survive 10 years in an industry that is cut throat,” he says, adding that he is still a “work in progress”.
Motivated about continuing his fitness journey, the actor shares, “Just like most people in our country who work hard for a living, trying to find time to stay healthy and fit amid the busy schedule is not easy. You can never feel that your job is done.”
Arjun Kapoor plans initiative to help country’s youth tackle obesity with right tools
8:15 AM
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; January 5, 2022)
For an actor whose struggle with the bulge has been a public debate, Arjun Kapoor realises that it is, perhaps, time to take the mic into his hands. Kapoor, who recently wowed fans with his dramatic weight-loss, is keen to create a platform that encourages people to take sustainable steps towards a healthy lifestyle instead of turning to quick-fix methods that show limited results.
“I’m grateful for the support I got after I spoke about my fight with obesity. I didn’t expect people to be so appreciative of my journey. I’m owning every bit of my life without the fear of being judged. People have told me that I should keep on speaking openly about my struggle, because many in India are going through the same thing, especially the youth,” says the actor, who emphasises on mental well-being just as much as he does on physical health.
Terming the experience of opening up about his struggles as “liberating”, he says, “I had to take on trolls who are ignorant about this serious issue plaguing the youth. We need a compassionate world and we need to vocalize our issues openly. I plan to start an initiative that gives a platform to people to openly talk about such issues, and their mental health. I’m going to work on this in the upcoming months and see if I have a plan of action that can benefit many. For most people, this is a constant struggle, because not everybody is blessed with perfect genes and great metabolism.”
I have dealt with obesity. So, I have to work harder than most people-Arjun Kapoor
8:34 AM
Arjun Kapoor on how teaming up with former world kickboxing champion Drew Neal has aided his fitness journey for Ek Villain Returns
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; August 13, 2021)
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.”
Shaming has become a part of our lives, and I can only hope that we get better as a society-Arjun Kapoor
7:57 AM
Harshada Rege (BOMBAY TIMES; July 22, 2021)
Arjun Kapoor is in a happy space these days. The actor, who was appreciated for his performance in Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar, also took charge of his health during the recent months and focussed on getting fitter. In a conversation with Bombay Times, the actor speaks candidly about battling weight issues, facing body shaming on social media and his fitness journey. He shares that he has struggled with weight issues since his childhood. “Not many know, but I have been battling obesity for the longest time. I was just not a fat kid, it was a health issue. It hasn’t been easy. My underlying health condition has always made it a struggle for me to constantly stay a certain size. While I have been criticised a lot for my physique, I have taken it on the chin because people expect actors to be seen in a certain body type. I understand that. They haven’t understood the struggle that I have gone through and it’s alright. I have to only prove it to myself and to people who believe in me,” he says.
Elaborating on his continuous struggle to maintain a certain fitness level, he says, “My condition makes it difficult for me to achieve quick results. The transformation people can achieve in a month, it takes me two months to do that.”
Arjun says, “For a year, I have single-mindedly focussed on myself to achieve my current body type and I desire only to get fitter and better. This journey has shown me that nothing is impossible. I just have to keep at it. Unfortunately, shaming has become a part of our lives, and I can only hope that we get better as a society.”
The constant scrutiny, trolling and body shaming that actors face on social media makes it an uphill task to stay positive. Arjun explains, “The pressure to be relevant in the industry is immense and the negativity does get to you. When my films weren’t working to the level that I expected them to, the negativity just mounted. The triggers that had caused my health issue in the first place came back, but I tried hard to keep going and make every day count. When you are constantly engulfed in work, you don’t realise the slide that you could be going through. You could be crumbling from inside while putting on a brave face. It happened to me; it happens to a lot of people.”
However, life seems to have taken a turn for the better with the appreciation he received for Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar. “The success of this film meant a lot for me. I have been able to achieve a better physique and I credit my state of mind to be a huge factor for this. I’m happy that I’m work in progress; I think we all are. So, if people have liked that I have lost weight and am looking much better, I thank them for their encouragement. Positivity and negativity are just part of our job. As actors, we just have to accept it and move on.”
While looking good on screen has been a major motivating factor to get fit, the actor, who will next be seen in Ek Villain 2, also credits his loved one for his success in this journey. He says, “I’m fortunate to have people around me who have been pillars of strength. They made me believe in myself and feel that I deserve to be where I am. I also have to thank all my fans and the people who only sent positive vibes to me during this phase of my life, because it kept me going and made me focus on myself and my life.”
Despite what I’ve seen I have faith that marriage is good-Arjun Kapoor
8:25 AM
Actor Arjun Kapoor on his difficult childhood and why he decided to begin again
Anuradha Choudhary (TIMES LIFE; August 18, 2019)
Professionally, do you believe you are on the right track now?
I will not lie. My last few Fridays have been a reality check. I take responsibility without saying, mujhse galti ho gayi. It’s an introspective responsibility. I’ve analysed it. I’d like to believe I’m at a good point considering the kind of work I’m chasing. But that does not mean I’m comfortable and relaxed. My aspiration is way higher. I want to be able to carry films on my shoulders with ease.
When you see your colleagues giving 100-crore hits, does it make you insecure?
I’m not an insecure person. I’m a collaborative person. Yes, you have moments of insecurity where you wish you were doing better. That’s natural. But by wishing others ill, you cannot do well. Insecurity should drive you to do better — improve the way you look, the way you think, your performance — rather than leave you bitter.
You’ve said in the past few years, you haven’t looked your best. Why?
I’m capable of looking better. I have to be honest with myself and with the audience. They are paying 500 rupees to watch me. They expect me to look the way I looked when I started out. But I’ve had health issues I don’t talk about. I had a slightly obese childhood (Smiles). Slight is an understatement. That comes with its own ailments. I battle with them constantly. Today, I’m back to feeling my best. I’ve lost all the excess weight. I’m shooting a film where I’m bald and my director is happy with the way I’m looking. I believe I look like a warrior. There’s a certain physicality that the role needed. I was able to achieve that.
Coming to your personal life, what made you come out in the open about your relationship with Malaika Arora?
We’ve come out because we feel the media has given us dignity. There’s a certain understanding that the media has displayed. They have been respectful, kind, honest and decent about it. That’s why I felt comfortable. You recoil when there’s a certain gandagi that comes with the territory. When people purposely irk you by saying, writing or asking things. There hasn’t been any of that. As far as the paps are concerned, we give them photos when walking in and out of a place. We talk to them. There’s a certain ease. I told them: ‘Please don’t sit under the house and make it seem like we’re hiding when we’re not’. I don’t want my neighbours to be disturbed. I don’t want her neighbours to be disturbed. We’re not doing anything wrong. I don’t want the story being conveyed that we’re hiding, when we’re not. They understood that.
Are you getting married?
I’m not getting married. I understand why there are speculations. In my own house people ask, tu shaadi kab kar raha hai? It’s an organic Indian question. If you are with someone for even three days, the marriage question pops up. Shaadi karlo, tumhari umar ho gayi hai, abhi kitna sochoge? For most, in India, 33 is a great age to get married. But not for me. I still have time. If I’ve not hidden my relationship. Why will I hide my marriage yaar? Today, I have some stability in my life and if someone gives me happiness, my family won’t be against it
Are you waiting to get your sister Anshula married first?
That would be a nice organic thing to do. But it’s not so easy to pinpoint that. If she wants to, I’d be happy. If she says, ‘No, I want to wait for a bit’, I’d be okay with that too. She believes in the institution of marriage just as I do. Despite what we’ve seen in our lives, we both have faith that marriage is good. Let her make something out of herself. She’s focusing on her work right now. Hence, I’ve not had the marriage conversation with her (Smiles). Thanks for reminding me, I'll speak to her today.
Is Malaika okay with waiting?
If I could answer on her behalf… the thing is, we both have to still discover each other in a public space and enjoy the comfort of being a couple. We need that ease. We need to take our mind off this pressure of getting married. Sometimes, you just need to be in a relationship. You need to live it; you need to enjoy it for what it is, rather than what it should be according to people. We are at ease with each other. I guess it should be left at that without going into details.
How happy is your family with your relationship?
They are happy. That’s the reason I’ve been able to come out. There’s genuine happiness for me. I’ve been through hell. I’ve been through a roller-coaster... from the age of 10-11 till 33 today. My parents separated when I was around 11 years old. Today, I have some stability in my life and if someone gives me happiness, my family won’t be against it. I’m genuinely happy. That’s why a Friday at the box-office doesn’t decide my life.
How has your relationship with your dad, Boney Kapoor, evolved after Sridevi’s death?
It’s always been good. We haven’t had the need to pick up the pieces of our relationship. If it wasn’t that good, I wouldn’t have been able to take such a big leap of faith. But I guess, he’s emotionally closer to me today. He’s also trying to be a hands-on father. Not with me alone but with all the kids. He’s learnt to prioritise us along with work, which is nice. At 65-plus, being a friend to your child is not easy. But the fact that he wakes up and tries every day... I give him full marks for that. It’s going well so far. We have our moments. We have our difference of opinion in certain things. But that’s normal.
The way you stood by him when Sridevi passed away was truly commendable.
I just remembered my mother (the late Mona Kapoor) at that time. She loved my father and would have wanted me to be there with him. The byproduct of that is that I got to meet two girls (Janhvi and Khushi Kapoor), who are actually not so different from me. In life, you hold on to a lot of questions, there’s a lot of confusion, dilemma... you have so many things that are not answered. Then comes a moment where you just learn how to let go and begin anew. You think why carry the baggage? You are like, chodo yaar, let’s move ahead. Let’s start again. It wasn’t easy but it was the right thing to do.
The last call my mother made from the hospital was to Salman bhai-Arjun Kapoor
8:18 AM
Priya Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; April 9, 2014)
Arjun Kapoor, 28, is emotional and sensitive, but curbs his feelings other than with people he is close to. Being a Class XI dropout weighing 140 kgs with separated parents, he could have easily got wavered, if not for the love from his joint family and his mentor Salman Khan. Salman became his friend, brother and father figure, goading him and propping him to not just lose weight, but making him believe that he could be a star. He is lazy, except when it comes to his work. He is ambitious, but is in no hurry to get there and wants to enjoy the process. Ahead of his upcoming film 2 States, he talks to Bombay Times about his love for his grandfather, his fondness for Alia Bhatt and why he cannot thank his nani and mausie enough in his life. Excerpts:
How did you get your first film Ishaqzaade?
I was born in our Chembur house in Mumbai, where we lived for five years after which we shifted to our Lokhandwala house. Anil chachu (Anil Kapoor) had already shifted out by the time I was born, but the rest of us lived in Chembur. I went to Arya Vidya Mandir school, where I flunked in Class XI and dropped out of my studies. I remember going to RK Studios and attending trial shows. My cousins Sonam and Rhea also went to the same school. I am 15 days younger than Sonam and it’s a very protective brother-sister bond we share. I was always there to look after her in school and I was her shield when she did not want boys around her. Also, when she went out with boys, I was the third wing attached. Now it’s vice versa and she feels concerned about me. I was 140 kgs and was irrelevant for the world for quite a long time. From the age of 14, I wanted to be a director. My parents wanted to test whether I was cut out for films at all and I started assisting Karan Johar on Kal Ho Naa Ho. My parents had separated long before that. My first pay cheque was from Dharma. I wanted to get that monkey off my shoulder that I can’t survive without my father. After that, I worked with dad as a production assistant on No Entry and that is when I met Salman bhai for the first time. My job was things like sorting out tickets and travel arrangements for Bipasha and Salman bhai. I would hang out with Salman bhai all the time at Galaxy. He was the one who propped me to become an actor and lose weight, but it took him four years to embed in me how to become a professional actor. The first time I met Shanoo Sharma, the casting director of Ishaqzaade, she told me you look like shit, even though by that time I was down to 97 kilos. I worked on myself and finally got selected for Ishaqzaade by auditioning. I went to my mom and told her and she started crying. I called my father and he was in shock. Maybe, I knew somewhere, that I had my dad backing me and had I been a failure, I would probably make films with him, but I did not want to do that.
You continued staying in a joint family despite your parents’ separation.
It had been a conscious decision on the part of my parents to not move us away from the family and so when my parents separated, my dad moved out, but my mom, my younger sister Anshula and me continued to live in my grandparents’ house, where Sanju chacha also lived with his family. It suited us to grow up in a family environment. Out of all the grandkids, I was the only one who spent that kind of time with my dada and dadi. We lived there till I was 21, when we finally moved out when my mom had made enough money to buy a house for herself. My granddad passed away a month before I started shooting for Ishaqzaade and my mom died just before the film’s release, both within a year of each other. My grandfather was a heart patient. He was very attached to me and would always tell me, ‘You are the only grandchild that I have picked up in my arms,’ and I was most attached to him. He used to hate the fact that I was growing a daadhi for Ishaqzaade. Now people will not recognise me without it and I’m sure he would have been happy seeing me with it now. My life is cinematic in some ways. My grandparents came to watch Mausam in Yashraj at Sonam's screening. My grandfather came to drop her till the gate of Yashraj and said, ‘I don’t feel like watching it today and want to go for my evening walk.’ I was there at that time doing my look test for Ishaqzaade and came to know that they were there. By the time I could come down, my grandfather had gone and within an hour, I got a call that he had passed away.
What is Adi Chopra like?
He is a recluse by nature, who likes to live in his environment but is a wonderful person, and he is someone I can call for anything in my life and is my guiding force. If I am confused, he is the one who will give me the pros and cons and play devil’s advocate. He is in love with cinema and his passion for it is unparalleled. He saw me as the anti-hero and has always told me the right things at the right time. He told me you are not a good- looking guy, so choose the right films, concentrate on your performance, work with good directors, don’t be in a hurry. He is very intelligent, sorted and grounded, as he has never been overawed by this industry. There are corporates trying to emulate his vision, but he was the first to have created a studio with that infrastructure. I respect him and don't have a back-slapping relationship with him, but he is the most approachable person. I was offered 2 States within 15 days of Ishaqzaade. While the first call I made was to Karan, the second was to Adi. He was in the shooting of Jab Tak Hai Jaan at that time and yet, he took my calls and advised me that Dharma was the correct production house and that I should do the film.
How different are Karan and Adi?
Their organic passion for cinema is common and both have grown up on Subhash Ghai, Sooraj Barjatya and Manmohan Desai films, which they both capture in their own unique style. Karan is just a more outgoing and emotional person than Adi. Maybe with Adi, I have not seen his emotional side. With Karan, he is there for everybody. Adi takes time to open up and allow someone to be in that circle of trust. They are both friends and may be similar, which I will not know.
Have you been in a serious relationship?
My first and only serious relationship so far was with Arpita Khan. We started seeing each other when I was 18 and it lasted for two years. I was also already attached to Salman bhai, but it was during the shooting of Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya that our relationship started. When we started dating, I was scared of Salman bhai and went and told him and the entire family as I wanted them to know from me first. They were very kind about it. He was taken aback, but he respects people and relationships. In fact, he was partial in that relationship where he would always take my side. I was 140 kgs, was assisting Nikhil Advani in Salaam-E-Ishq and had a girlfriend, would party and felt my life was headed in the right direction and felt sorted and thought that I would direct my film by 22, till she broke up with me and suddenly I was confused about what my future held for me. Even after breaking up, I would hang out with him. He was my friend, my father-figure, older brother, everything at that point. He was an older brother I never had and he made me realise how important it is to have an older brother. The last call my mother made from the hospital bed was to Salman bhai. She knew about her condition by then. She thanked him for me having become an actor because of him. He told her that he would take her abroad but within a week, she passed away. He came to the funeral. Till he had come, the media was standing almost on top of the pyre. But he came and ensured I got some privacy. When he came home that day, it was the tightest hug I have ever given him.
Talk about Salman?
The one thing that I love about him, and aspire to learn from him, is how he has never changed. People around him have changed but his success and failure never affects him. His box office records never bother him. I was with him for four years and have seen him through many good and bad films. He is a regular guy who is as moody as all of us with bad and good days. He listens to you, is understanding and has an elephant’s memory.
Your mother not being there, who looks after you?
My nani, mausie and mom were one unit. They were very shattered and still are. But they make sure I don't feel that way. I can't thank them enough for helping me maintain my sanity in this. I am attached to both. My nani is a very ferocious woman and was feisty and temperamental, but after my mother she is very caring. I am practically out of the house shooting and my sister is learning to run a house, but my mausie takes care of the house and ensures that everything is provided for. Also, I have my dad, Salman bhai and Adi to go to whenever I need them. I also have my friends Rohit and Varun Dhawan and Kunal Rawal who I talk to.
For the record, are you dating Alia?
No, I am not dating Alia. We are friends and got to know each other while filming 2 States. She is super fun. She is actually quite sorted in her own way due to her journey in her life. She can have her moments of madness, but is super intelligent. She is very understanding and she gets things even though she is just 21. I can pick up the phone and speak to her anytime and I like it that she is very unassuming. She is my closest co-star and between Abhishek Varman, me and her, we really got along well. She is someone I can rely on and is very attractive. I have never been to her house, but we have met at Karan Johar and Aarti Shetty’s house. We have openly gone for films, though I don’t know why media chooses to report that we go secretly.
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