Eight years since hormonal imbalances and injuries landed her at her trainer's door, Sonam Ahuja on going from strength to strength
Sonia Lulla (MID-DAY; May 13, 2020)

They may have struck a chord with only a defined group of cinephiles, but offerings like Aisha and Veere Di Wedding serve as food for thought as to why Sonam K Ahuja shone in films that bank heavily on meaningful friendships. Our guess is, as is with several aptly cast movies, it drew from her off-screen persona. Past interviews are testimony of the earnestness with which she pursues relations with the women in her life — be it with sister Rhea, friend Masaba Gupta, or mother Sunita. But why are we discussing Ahuja's relationships in an interview directed to break down her fitness regimen, you ask? Because fitness is no longer (never was) about the physique alone. Ahuja was quick to learn how every aspect of her life defined her emotional and mental state. "You'll know what to do if you love yourself," she says at one point, making a case for her vegan lifestyle when citing studies that indicate dairy (sugar too) can cause cancer.

A string of "crazy stupid things", involving hours of gym training and unsuitable diets, enabled her to shake off the 35 kilos she had gained in her teens due to hormonal imbalances, before she made her industry debut. But, even five years later, in 2012, when she first met her current trainer Radhika Karle, the actor was fragile, with an immunity that was severely hit following a relapse of typhoid. "[In addition], I had bursitis in my knees since I had been dancing. Even though I've not done films that needed me to dance, I am trained in classical dance and [practised it] since the age of three. Also, I am double-jointed and hyper-mobile, and had damaged my feet and knees."

She landed at Karle's doorstep in pursuit of a trainer who promoted a holistic approach to fitness. "She didn't enjoy it at all," says Karle, of Ahuja's introductory sessions. "She wanted to do weights, and high-intensity work. But I had to keep assuring her that she needed [pilates]. Gaining muscle-mass keeps the body's fat per cent in check. She had achieved weight-loss but hadn't gained strength."

Every 'Body' Is Different
If you haven't had a first-hand account of tackling obesity, it's tough to comprehend why Ahuja — with a seemingly idyllic figure that has lent life to creations of the world's top brass of fashion designers — harbours body-related insecurities. It is her unwavering sense of self that kept her in good stead. "Everyone has a different body, and all one can do is be the best version of that body-type. My friend Masaba [Gupta, designer], doesn't have what one would consider a 'model's body'. But she runs for an hour each day, practices yoga, eats healthy, and is extremely strong. Having a low fat-percentage doesn't mean you must starve. I eat everything; all that I do is monitor how and when I eat it. I had hormone issues, a lot of which were solved through Radhika's nutrition plans."

Being vegan in India, which doesn't spoil you with choice, demands ace negotiation. With plant-based proteins camouflaged within fatty high-carbohydrate foods, it is a fight between upping muscle mass and retaining a healthy waistline. "I constantly tweak her nutrition plan, which varies for each film. We went on a high-protein diet for Khoobsurat because she had to be lean. Now that she isn't shooting, she's off grains," Karle informs.

When travelling with Ahuja on outdoor shoots, Karle, owner of Radhika's Balanced Body, has to be particularly mindful of the food being offered to her. "If we are [shooting] close to home, we will have a team member deliver the meals. Else, I will take something whipped up in my kitchen. If we are in a hotel, I will speak to the chef to create meals according to her plan."

Like the one she is currently on, a regimen involving a mix of pilates and cardiovascular work has usually worked well for Ahuja. The duo kicks off the day with a cardio session in the morning. At her home-gym in Delhi, the actor usually spends evenings tweaking the resistance of her reformer and following the cues belted out by Karle over a video call. "She has been [diligent] with her routine. We've been loading the [reformer's] springs heavy so that the resistance training [component is met with]."

Battle Won, And Done
"Being slim is the by-product of pursuing a healthy lifestyle," Ahuja tells us when we ask her how she managed to break free from the clutches of obesity, which continues to haunt several B-Town actors. She's quick to express gratitude for her good genes. "For the most part [of my childhood], I was skinny. Also, although I love [junk food], I won't start eating and drinking, just because I've lost weight. You cant suddenly let go of the lifestyle you follow."

Sonam on taking small steps for big results
- My biggest lesson has been to not eat at night, and keep a few hours between the last meal and bedtime. I suffered from acidity. This tip cured me.
- Hydration is important. I still struggle with it but have a minimum of three litres of water, daily.
- Anything in a package must be avoided, as must refined foods like flour and sugar. It's like putting poison in the body. I love packaged food, but find substitutes, or make my own version of it. If I crave for something sweet, I have jaggery or peanuts.
- You don't need to have more than two fruits a day. It's eventually sugar.
- Salads must be consumed at lunch, not in the evening. Also, half of your food plate must comprise greens.

Karle On Sonam's Diet
- Before breakfast, she has lemon water. Then, jeera water.
- For lunch, it's sabzi and dal. We may give her curd to soothe her stomach in the Delhi heat.
- Before the evening workout, she has a coffee concoction, fruits, peanut or almond butter.
- Dinner, comprising cooked vegetables and dal, is consumed by 7 pm.

Anil Kapoor on the agony of watching one’s children grapple with body image issues which is also addressed in his upcoming musical drama
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 21, 2018)

In a recent interview to Mirror (July 16), Pihu Sand, the 20-year-old Mumbai girl who plays Anil Kapoor and Divya Dutta’s daughter, Lata, in the upcoming musical drama, Fanney Khan, had revealed that she added 20 kg to tip the scales at 98 kg, the heaviest she’s ever been, for her acting debut. The news comes as a surprise to Anil who was bowled over by Pihu’s confidence and histrionics during their first workshop at his residence. “Having seen the original Belgian film, Everybody’s Famous!, I knew this was a tricky bit of casting but after meeting Pihu I knew instantly that she was our Lata. When I see talent, everything else pales into insignificance, including someone’s physicality,” says the actor.

While chasing Lata’s dream, the film touches on weight issues and the culture of body-shaming, concerns which are not new to Anil whose actress-daughter, Sonam, a style icon today, weighed 86 kg in her teens. He attributes this to the pangs of being parted from her parents when she went to Singapore to study. “Those 3-4 years were traumatic for her and when she returned home, I was shocked. The way she walked, the agony of climbing stairs, the misery on her face, broke my heart,” he recalls.

Being from the film industry, Anil knew his children, Sonam, Rhea and Harshvardhan, would be subjected to scrutiny and criticism growing up and so always told them they are beautiful in their own unique way and nothing should change that. “To be honest, I could not have imagined Sonam’s deep concerns with her appearance, because to me she has always been flawless,” he avers, admitting the full extent of what his daughter had gone through since the age of 13 only hit him recently when he read an interview of hers in which she confessed to spending hours in front of the mirror scrutinizing her appearance and coming up short.

Sonam had no plans to become an actress when she started assisting Sanjay Leela Bhansali. “She was still on the heavier side and seemingly unconcerned during the shooting of Black but perhaps Sanjay saw the beautiful girl beneath that ungainly body and offered to launch her in Saawariya,” reminisces Anil.

She went on a strict diet and fitness routine for a whole year and lost 35 kg, but the insecurity remained. She continued to experiment with every diet, from Atkins to South Beach, and every fitness routine, from spinning to power yoga, a single uncomplimentary remark making her go off food. Stardom didn’t make it any easier. The slightest blemish would be highlighted in photographs and articles which mercilessly sliced through her wavering self esteem. “Body-shaming is a curse and really hurts our kids,” points out Anil, informing that according to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders at least 30 million of all ages and genders in the US suffer from eating disorders, resulting in at least one death every 62 seconds. “Sonam has always been perfect and flawless in my eyes and I couldn’t be happier that she is healthy and content with herself today. When it comes to beauty, we need to shift the focus from physicality to personality. Women who are smart, intelligent, empathetic, determined and accomplished are beautiful. And that is the kind of beautiful Sonam is.”

Fortunately Sonam had a friend, Namrata Soni, and her sister, Rhea, who boosted her self-esteem and made her comfortable in her skin. Anil describes Rhea as a firebrand and asserts that he has never met anyone more confident and self-assured. “She knows who she is and is always true to herself. I’ve never seen her falter. She is the best kind of beautiful and she knows that,” he beams.

He also never had to tell Harsh what to do or how to do it as his son has always followed his heart and instincts. “Harsh is an old soul. He is my youngest son but in some ways he’s the wisest,” he states.

Arjun, who like his other nieces and nephews is one of his kids too, had a problem with his weight till he got in shape. “The credit for that goes to Salman (Khan). When his dad (brother Boney) showed me his new pictures, I was pleasantly surprised and so proud,” Anil flashbacks, adding it is important not to push kids into anything, recalling how Sonam had quietly sought out his trainer Sherveer. “The voice has to come from within,” he says wisely, narrating how Sherveer helped him look good for a suhaag raat scene in Hum Aapke Dil Mein Rehte Hain with a years younger Kajol after shooting through the night for Pukar.

Air-brushing and photo-shopping are alien concepts that Anil has managed to evade so far by staying healthy and disciplined. “When we were shooting 'Badan Pe Sitare Lapate Hue' recently, a special effects team was kept ready to clean up the frames which eventually wasn’t necessary and we saved a lot of money,” he says, pointing out that last year, France implemented a new law whereby it’s become mandatory to label media images that are digitally altered for commercial purposes to make models look thinner as a ‘retouched photo’. “The time has come to redefine the popular concept of beauty and end body shaming. My film addresses this and that makes it special. My kids are strong, confident, independent people with minds of their own. That will always be my biggest legacy,” he says.