14 July,2013 07:03 AM IST | | Anita Britto
How would you describe Farhan Akhtar's physique before he started training for 'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag'?
I have been training Farhan for the last five years. Before he signed the movie, his fitness level was just 70 per cent of what you see in the film. Once he signed the project, Farhan and I had a long chat. I told him that since he was playing an athlete, his body needed to be hundredfold better.
Farhan Akhtar trained with Samir Jaura for five to six hours every day for 13 months
How much weight did Farhan gain and lose for this film?
Initially, Farhan was around 66 kilos. His weight was around 75 kilos in the portion where he sports a rippled look. We shot that part first. Then he had to drop 15 kilos for the portion in which he joins the army. This took three-and-a-half months. I couldn't change his body structure, only his muscles had to be toned down.
What did his workout schedule entail?
I would change his training schedule every 15 days so that his body does not get accustomed to a particular kind of workout. I would make him do strength training and later hypertrophic strength training whereby your muscles thicken. He also trained with heavy weights and I made him follow the Tamata Principle where you train with emphasis on time. He also went through endurance training. It took him 13 months to develop a chiseled look. He trained for five to six hours every day.
What diet did he follow?
Farhan was off rice, roti, bread and alcohol for 13 months. He had low sodium food which was monitored regularly. We gave him a meal that balanced his carbohydrates, protein and fat intake. He ate six to seven meals in a day; I ensured he ate every three hours.
You are also working with Priyanka Chopra for her biopic on Mary Kom. How are you training her?
Since she plays a boxer, it involves a lot of shoulder movements. Her back and legs have to be strong because while boxing, one is constantly moving.
Who else is training with you?
I am training Rani Mukerji for a film with Yash Raj Productions and also Aamir Khan's son, Junaid. It's just general training for him, though.
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