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Why actors take their fitness so seriously

More than any other quality, fitness matters the most in showtown today. Health food, gymming, swimming, treks and power yoga are so identified with A-listers that the trend has been influencing those who dare to dream about entering the hallowed Bollywood enclave.
The dreamers, often called 'strugglers', throng the Mumbai suburbs - especially Oshiwara, Goregaon and Malad - hoping to be discovered by talent scouts. They also spend days, weeks and years appearing for auditions, mostly in vain, for film and television roles.
Male wannabes usually tend to imitate the muscle-packed Salman Khan look. Women strive to look as gym-sculpted as Deepika Padukone or Priyanka Chopra.
However, this has led to a plethora of clones, who hang out at gyms, paying hefty sums of money for personal trainers, but rarely find that big break that could propel them towards stardom. Moreover, the side-effects involved in the indiscriminate use of protein shakes and supplements to build muscle mass are ignored in a bid to attain that body beautiful.
Was it always like this? No way. At most, the leading heroes of the past decades would practice diet control at home and take to basic exercises. Dev Anand, for instance, ascribed his lean frame to a nutritious breakfast and his daily habit of munching on raw carrots.
Dilip Kumar in his heyday was the film industry's original foodie, barely caring about calorie counts, and, in fact, would share secret family recipes about the perfect saffron-flecked biryani and kheer. When he gained weight, he wouldn't think twice before waging a quiet battle of the bulge. By contrast, towards the latter days of his career, Raj Kapoor did let himself go when it came to food and drinks, acquiring oodles of kilos. As his son Rishi Kapoor has often stated, "What's life without a grand banquet?"
Right from the 1940s to the late '60s, muscle-rippling heroes were an exception to the rule. Among the earliest iron men, count P. Jairaj who'd often enact roles of warrior kings. And there was the wrestler-turned-actor Dara Singh who could combat his opponents in the ring as well as on the screen, with credibility.
Indeed, it would seem that Dharmendra kickstarted the trend of rigorous exercises and a home-planned diet regimen. A tall glass of freshly-squeezed tomato juice was his prime health tip. Later, his son Sunny Deol and Sanjay Dutt popularised regular workouts at gyms. According to Bollywood lore, during his teenage years, Salman Khan acknowledged Dutt Jr as his role model.
Legendary leading ladies of yore - Madhubala, Meena Kumari and Waheeda Rehman to cite just three instances - maintained their grace and allure essentially by diet control. Nutan, however, would recommend daily rounds of swimming to stay in shape.

Today, of course, every star - male or female - is into body maintenance. Of them, Aamir Khan has the uncanny ability to regulate his weight when a particular 'look' is required for the character he's portraying. Evidence: six packs for Ghajini and the gone-to-seed look for the middle-aged father portrayed in Dangal. That he had to deal with health issues soon after filming Dangal and slog at returning to normal was risky business. This, and the ongoing rampant imitation of gym-toned Bollywood artistes by their fan-base, prompted me to ferret out fitness tips from a cross-section of stars:
Akshay Kumar:
. Have your dinner before 7 pm; sleep by 10 pm; wake up at 5 am.
. Strictly avoid supplements.
. One hour of workout at the gym. Whenever feasible, run on a beachshore, take off for trekking and brisk walks.
Anil Kapoor:
. Vary your one-to-two hours of daily exercise so you don't feel bored of the routine every day. Gym, swim or cycle.
. Prioritise your breakfast. Eggs are a good source of protein.
. Try and get at least seven hours of sleep. Go by the policy of early-to-bed-early-to-rise.
Raveena Tandon
. Reserve at least 45 minutes in a day for yourself. You can choose to walk, swim or run.
. Eat healthy, hydrate yourself and remember to have a bit of protein if you are working out.
. For overall fitness, yoga is the best.
Sonam Kapoor
. Drink one-and-a-half litres of water as soon as you wake up. Don't eat anything for an hour after that.
. Intermittent fasting: Your last meal should be at least four hours before you sleep. It helps in digestion. 12 to 16 hours of this form of fasting is really good for your health.
. Try not to drink water while eating.
. Keep moving. Make sure you walk for at least half an hour to an hour a day, and try to do a bit of stretching.

Ranbir Kapoor
. Five small portions of meals a day are ideal. Include organic eggs and green vegetables. Eat fruits after a workout. Snack on almonds and walnuts.
. Engage in a sport - like football - at least twice a week.
. Lift weight intensely for muscle gain and fat loss. Concentration is the key rather than lifting weights for extended durations.

Alia Bhatt
. Incorporate cardiovascular exercises in your workouts. The exercises should be around 45 minutes daily.
. To prevent dehydration, drink small amounts of water between a workout to boost energy level and stamina.
. Initially difficult but once you're into them, lunges help in toning up legs, and squats strengthen your body.
. Lift weights (after checking with a trainer) for muscle growth.
. A yoga session, twice a week, reduces stress.
. Meditation works wonders for a positive outlook towards life.
wknd@khaleejtimes.com