Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; April 2, 2018)

There have been several ‘fat-to-fit’ examples in Bollywood, but Tanishaa Mukerji’s latest photo shoot has taken everyone by surprise. The actress, who recently posted several images online flaunting a new svelte figure, was also trolled for being skinny. However, she maintains, “I’ve just become more toned and gained muscles.”

When I catch up with her on a balmy evening at her Juhu office, I do a double take as she walks into the room. She not only looks her fittest best, but also exudes a sense of confidence. In a candid chat, Tanishaa opens up about her year-long metamorphosis and how she overcame her biggest weakness — chocolates. Excerpts…

WHY THE MAKEOVER?
It was a long process as it wasn’t just a physical transformation but a mental and spiritual one, too. After all, what you are inside reflects on the outside. It actually took me a few wake-up calls. It started with my best friends — Nikhila Palat and Vivan Bhathena — who wanted to give me a makeover. Vivaan would often tell me, ‘You work out so much, but why do you still have these tyres around your waist?’ That was because I was addicted to chocolate. Vivan is a fitness freak and he wanted me to be fit too. This was a little over a year ago, but I didn’t listen to him.

One day, while horse riding, I felt a jerk in my back. That’s when I realised that even if you have a little excess weight, it can cause injuries. I was out of action for a few months and started doing Pilates to heal myself.

The third wake up call was when my dresses stopped fitting me. Even though I was working out so much, my chest and butt were out of proportion. I was battling a lot of issues and started doing Buddhist chanting. When I saw my film Anna (2016) on screen, I thought that I appeared rotund. This wasn’t the image that I had of myself and finally decided to take matters in my own hands.

GIVING UP CHOCOLATES
I called up Vivan and signed up with Eefa Shroff (a fitness and lifestyle coach who specialises in the 21 Body Transformation practice). I quit sugar completely. While I was undergoing this transformation, she explained how our eating habits are connected to our emotions and why we lose discipline over a period of time. So, you need to work on your mind.

I couldn’t have given up chocolate if Eefa hadn’t explained to me what it was doing to my system. Chocolate is a drug, so I needed to find ways to love myself that would benefit me. Hence, I started scuba diving, as I needed adventure and a sense of accomplishment. Once you understand what that piece of chocolate is doing to you, you wouldn’t want it. Now, I don’t crave it anymore — you can keep a box in front of me and I would walk past it.

I started doing weights and a lot of Pilates which worked on my flexibility, core and abs. Eefa taught me yoga because weights make us stiff, so the asanas open up the body as flexibility is key.

A PROTEIN-RICH DIET
I eliminated potatoes, grains, rice, roti and bread. Instead, I started consuming more vegetables, eggs, fish and chicken. I took protein shakes, too, because my diet alone wasn’t sufficient to get this kind of a physique. I’ve always liked to have a toned figure, without an ounce of fat on my body. I did take other healthy supplements like aminos that would help in muscle growth. After all, I wanted to be able to do that 20-pound deadlift.

IT’S ABOUT INCHES, NOT KILOS
I learnt how to shed fat, not weight. Sometimes, when you’re knocking off the kilos, you could actually be losing muscle. That’s when your metabolism goes down. Check your inches — if you’re shedding them over a period of time, then you’re doing the right thing.

‘WE SHOULD TREAT OUR BODY LIKE IT’S OUR BEST FRIEND
It took me a little more than a year. But it was eight months of being super strict. We must always start early. Otherwise, we will be like, ‘Why didn’t I work those muscles and take care of myself when I had the time?’ We should treat our body like we’d treat our best friend. 

DEALING WITH TROLLS
I don’t want to set a wrong example. I feel a certain kind of connection with my fans, so if they ask me questions on Instagram and Twitter, I try to answer as many as I can. However, people can make their own assumptions. They feel I have become skinny, but I’ve gained muscles. Trolls don’t affect me. I’ve been through a lot of backlash right from the time I started. But I’ve dealt with life, so social media is a cakewalk.

WRITING A BOOK? NOT YET
A lot of people have done it, but I’m someone who believes that unless you have a lot of knowledge, you cannot preach. So, I don’t want to write a book just yet. This has worked for me, but I can’t become a nutritionist just because of this. I did it as a lifestyle choice.

Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 19, 2017)

When Varun Dhawan was told that he would be picked up and tossed around by a hulking Vivan Bhatena in freezing London for one of the earliest action sequences in the upcoming Judwaa 2, the actor’s instinctive chuckle, “He’ll easily do it! He is so big and strong,” was cut short by director dad David, when he added that Varun would have to lift Vivan for the final stunts. “But Varun managed to pull it off,” recalls Vivan, who takes over from Mukesh Rishi’s antagonist Tiger in the 1997 film for its sequel.

“In another part, Varun was on the floor and I had to kick him. I did it a tad too hard and hurt his arm. I apologised profusely but Varun didn’t mind. He’s genuine and always eager to learn,” Vivan adds.

Besides trading punches, the Sajid Nadiadwala production, which also features Jacqueline Fernandez and Taapsee Pannu, will also be high on chase sequences through a London college with not just bikes, but cars flying as well. “Lots of kicks and fistfights ensured that everyone had a few injuries at any given point of time during shooting despite the best action directors and stunt choreographers on set,” Vivan says.

There is also a lot of payback for Varun’s twin act as Raja and Prem. Towards the end of the schedule, there was one sequence where Varun had to break a bottle on Vivan’s head, and since the unit had called for extra bottles, crew members decided to have a swing at it themselves. “It was such a roller coaster of a scene. After it wrapped up, I complained that I was the only one getting beaten up so Varun took a bottle to his head for the gag reel,” Vivan chortles.

The model-turned-TV actor, who was first spotted on the big screen as the vain cricketer Abhimanyu Singh in Chak De! India, caught Dhawan senior’s eye at Salman Khan’s farmhouse at a special screening of Hero. The veteran filmmaker was impressed by Vivan’s mercurial antagonist turn to Sooraj Pancholi’s debut leading man.

“But I never heard from him after two years of that. Then, last year, I received a call from casting director Mukesh Chhabra’s office that Davidji had a role for me. There was no way I was thinking twice about being a part of this cult franchise,” the 38-year-old actor signs off on that high note.

Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; November 5, 2014)


Sagarika is best remembered for her role in Chak De! India. She also starred opposite Emraan Hashmi in Rush. Archana who has been hosting IPL is known for her hot quotient. Model-turned actor Sahil came into the limelight as the participant of the first season of Amazing Race Asia. He made his film debut with Don 2 and was last seen in Shaadi Ke Side Effects. He is also a part of Ameesha Patel’s debut production Desi Magic.

TV actor Vivan Bhatena, who has done several serials including Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Maayka and Sanskaar Laxmi has also been approached for the show. Incidentally, Vivan had played Sagarika’s fiance in Chak De! India. Vivan confirmed that he was approached but he is yet to take a call. Another actor who has been approached for the show is Saurabh Raj aka Krishna of Mahabharat.