Right from shaving his head for Bajirao Mastani (2015) to flaunting his scars as Alaudin Khilji in Padmaavat (2018), and now getting into the lean physique of Kapil Dev in 1983, Ranveer Singh has done everything to get into the skin of his character.

Changing his image from a jolly Punjabi munda to a method actor with gravitas, Ranveer Singh has come a long way in the last few years. Besides getting into a character’s mind, the 34-year-old works wonders with his physicality — from shaving his head for Bajirao Mastani (2015), flaunting his scars in Padmaavat (2018), bulked up for Simmba (2018), to now developing the lean physique of Kapil Dev of 1983.

Besides intense workouts, Ranveer has a meticulous diet regime in place that makes this transformation possible. “The challenging part was the fact that I was approaching Kapil Dev (83, the film) on the back of Simmba. I was 86 kg as Sangram ‘Simmba’ Bhalerao, packing heavy muscle mass and had to lose about 12 to 14 kg. To shed the muscle you have so painstakingly built is a slow and difficult process, but Rajiv sir (Rajiv Mehra at Jivfit) and the boys at PodSupply (celebrity tiffin service provider) have worked closely to help me. I’m happy with the results. I’ve achieved my target, surpassed it, as a matter of fact,” informs Ranveer Singh while talking to indianexpress.com.

The actor, rarely low on energy, has a weakness for Nutella, prompting the chefs to concoct a healthy variant just for him. Of course, it doesn’t have the exact taste but takes care of his cravings. Their avocado mousse, made of 90 per cent dark chocolate chips and avocados, is also among his favourite guilt-free desserts. “We make a hazelnut nut butter mixed with dark chocolate. This has been sufficient to keep Ranveer off Nutella for the moment,” remarks Mohit Savargaonkar, head chef at Pod.

Chinese-style prawns, jalapeño and crisp bacon omelettes also figure among Ranveer’s favourites. Pod’s signature mush, a type of cornmeal pudding, has been modified for Singh, using rolled oats and eggs, topped with mixed nuts and fresh berries. “The complex carbs help in gaining energy, while proteins from the eggs help cut the fat and increase muscle mass. The berries are the best form of antioxidants,” explains the chef.

Once Singh is on a new project, a proper diet plan and fitness regime are established depending on the character. “What follows then is a finely tuned daily plan-to-plate system that works brilliantly for me. I trust my team blindly,” comments the Dil Dhadakne Do actor.

The Kill Dil actor has his Indian roots intact and so is his love for the desi cuisine. Indian-style Chinese dishes are his all-time favourite. “The most important thing is to balance macros and nutrients. We have to watch the number of proteins, fats, carbs and fibre that are served. He has to avoid carbs to lose kilos. He currently eats four times a day. Meal timings vary depending upon shoot timings and travel, etc,” says Anmol Singhal, Co-founder and head of Business Development at Pod.

“Sometimes, when he’s super exhausted he may ask us to make him a guilt-free dessert. But not while he’s shooting. He hates the sight of greens, though!” reveals Singhal.

Talking about the diet programme that the nutritionist and chef at POD create, Singh recalls, “The way my body responded was astonishing and I achieved my results in record time. It didn’t feel like dieting was a slog. They made the food so interesting. They are always on the ball whether it’s for Befikre or Simmba, which called for very different body types,” recalls the actor.

The catering service is specially designed for celebrities and comes for a hefty price tag. Packed meals delivered freshly to the doorstep or shoot location is charged at Rs 90,000 for a four-meal monthly plan. For each additional meal in the plan, they charge Rs 10,000 and for a chef on board, it’s Rs 12,000 per day in Mumbai. Outside of Mumbai, the prices per day remain the same but the cost of ingredients are added as per actuals.

“Kapil Dev back in the year 83 was a lean and lanky boy and Ranveer immediately had to lose about 12-14 kg. We had about three weeks to pull down five kg for the look tests, etc, to begin. We immediately devised a meal plan which Ranveer followed to the ‘T’. We achieved a weight loss of six kg in 19 days and then another six in the following four weeks. When we first looked at Ranveer we couldn’t believe it was him. He looked exactly like Kapil! He is also super dedicated to his workouts. Even when he’s shooting long hours he makes sure he works out at least once in a day and sometimes even twice. Ranveer is a great swimmer and loves swimming whenever he finds the time,” comments Singhal.

Talking about how they manage to meet the demands of his schedule, Singhal said, “For the movie 83, we travelled to London for a three-month schedule, where everything is available locally. However, for example, if a shoot is taking place in Dharamshala for the same film, we have to ensure that we carry dry stores with us and other important ingredients. Meats and vegetables, however, are always procured fresh wherever we are.”

Though the movie is still in making, the regular Instagram updates from Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone, who is also part of the film, are proof of how well the actor has shaped up to play the part.

Source: Read Full Article