Adarsh Gourav spills the beans on crafting his new look for Kho Gaye Hum Kahan

Released on Netflix, Kho Gaye Hum Kahan, starring Adarsh Gourav, Ananya Pandey and Siddhant Chaturvedi is perhaps Bollywood's first attempt at capturing ‘social media-induced loneliness.' Playing the role of a calisthenics instructor, Adarsh's remarkable physical evolution is stealing the spotlight, earning admiration for both his acting prowess and sculpted body.

Adarsh's trainer - Robin Behl was assigned to the actor with just a brief from the film's director, "I want him to look like Brad Pitt from Fight Club." The actor who started with a super lean body, eventually built up for this role with a combination of calisthenics training and skill work for aesthetics and strength.

In an exclusive conversation with Midday, Adarsh Gourav from Kho Gaye Hum Kaha, opens up about his gruelling training regime, the challenges he faced and what kept him motivated through the journey.

Adarsh, your transformation into Neil's character is remarkable. How did you gear up for it?

Facing the challenge of exploring body-focused aesthetics for the first time, I, having a background more rooted in sports, committed to the process with dedication. While there were moments of uncertainty, we collaboratively navigated through challenges, such as adjusting to a high-protein diet with chicken, a departure from my vegetarian habits. Despite initial difficulties, I embraced the changes during filming and returned to my vegetarian lifestyle post-project.

In the preparation for the film, acquiring skills like ring muscle-ups, bar exercises, L set two shoulder stands and shipayos proved both challenging and enjoyable. Although these skills didn't make it to the film, learning them added an interesting dimension to my fitness journey, complementing the traditional weightlifting at the gym. The excitement stemmed from overcoming these challenges and exploring a new aspect of physical training.

"His routine was finished with weight lifting to add finesse to the muscles. Not just as part of his role, calisthenics is a superb way to work out using body weight strength wherein you use your body weight to build strength. Think of exercises like pull-ups, push-ups, parallel bar dips and planks," adds Behl.

To further make the workout routines more intense, Adarsh started doing the same movements with weight belts around him, adding more weights to his body to do weighted pull-ups, dips and muscle ups. To make it another level harder, he has also done towel pull-ups to build his grip further. These intense sessions were complemented by an intense nutrition plan by Mishti Khatri.

What was the brief given to you by the filmmakers?

Regarding the filmmakers' brief, they emphasised the need for a transformation aligned with the character's physicality, drawing inspiration from Brad Pitt's roles in Fight Club and Snatch. The focus was on achieving a specific physique through a transition from bulking to cutting, with the guidance of my trainer and nutritionist.

Robin shares how he converted the brief into a strategic body transformation for Adarsh. "We would work in sync with each other to give Adarsh the desired body through a combination of the right foods and how I would use that energy at his workout sessions."

He continues, "We started with 3400 calories and even though Adarsh is a vegetarian, he turned non-vegetarian to achieve this body." He further adds, "Adarsh as a student is amazing. I've never had a better student. He showed up half an hour before time, was always ready to go when needed and didn't miss a single day of training."

How long did it take you to achieve the desired body type?

The noticeable changes in my physique started becoming apparent a few months before the film, roughly around February-March 2022, as we shifted from bulking to cutting. I owe credit to Robin for his patient training and Misthi Khatri, my nutritionist, who crafted a detailed meal plan with specific breakdowns of carbs, protein, and fat. Sticking rigorously to the plan played a crucial role in achieving the desired body definition.

What were the challenges you faced while training for this particular body type? Did you ever feel like giving up?

There were some anxious moments, but we managed to find common ground and overcome hurdles, like adjusting to a high-protein diet with chicken, which was a departure for me as a vegetarian. Despite the initial challenges, I adapted smoothly during filming, and once the project concluded, I happily returned to my vegetarian lifestyle.

What kept you motivated throughout the journey?

Portraying a fitness trainer in the film required me to refine my acting skills and focus on physical fitness. Unbeknownst to the other person, I observed and learned from their walk and body language. Despite my sports-oriented background, I fully committed to the challenge, including adjusting to a high-protein diet with chicken, specially for the look required for the character.

While it had its challenges, I adapted during filming and returned to my vegetarian habits after completing the project.

Given that abs take 6 months to a year, how feasible is it build such a body in a short span of time?

Achieving a well-defined physique in a short span of time, like 6 months to a year, is a challenging but feasible endeavour. It requires a focused and disciplined approach to both training and nutrition.

What is your advise for those trying to build their bodies within time constraints?

While significant progress can be made, a sustainable and healthy transformation might take longer for some individuals. It's crucial to set realistic goals and prioritise long-term well-being over quick results. Having a structure in place and following the process, not skipping steps for a longer duration and not basing ourselves on quick results and setting ourselves for strong foundation to be build for a period of time and trusting the process are all essential elements while transforming one's physique.