Tiger Shroff: Feel more like a tame house cat

Tiger Shroff

Tiger Shroff

Last year, Tiger Shroff had admitted to "crying a lot" over being teased for his name and looks post his Bollywood debut, 'Heropanti' (2014). The actor wasn't christened Tiger when he was born - his parents, actor Jackie Shroff and producer Ayesha Shroff had decided to call him Jai. It was changed later, given his habit of biting and scratching as a child.

Even after all these years, however, he is still coming to terms with being called Tiger. "I don't think one always grows into one's name," he says, adding in a lighter vein, "I don't feel like a Tiger most of the time. Like right now, talking to you, or going about my day, I feel more like a tame house cat. But when dancing or giving an action shot, I channel the meaning of my name," Tiger says in an interview with GQ for its May 2017 issue, excerpts of which were exclusively shared with mid-day.

While growing up, Tiger hadn't thought of facing the camera some day. His journey from a bashful college dropout to an actor was arduous, he says. "You have to act like a star, combat the anxiety that you might make a fool of yourself. Plus, they [people] look at me as Jackie Shroff's son, and that's a lot of pressure."

Apart from high-intensity workouts, he's on a strict diet that allows him to consume no more than 2,000 calories a day. "I am on what you call a caveman's diet. I stay away from all man-made items like rice and grains, and all forms of sugar. It's mostly fruits, vegetables and animal protein," he adds.