Abhishek to shape up for Dhoom 3

Known to readily add and reduce kilos to play his roles convincingly throughout his decade-long career, this time Abhishek Bachchan is saying no to the muscled look. At a time when other leading men in the industry are building six-pack and eight-pack abs, Junior Bachchan is busy trying to acquire a
lean look. His training regime for Yash Raj Films’ Dhoom 3 is being kept under wraps, ever since he started training three weeks ago.

The actor is currently shooting for Abbas-Mustan’s Players in New Zealand, where he has also been working out under the supervision of an international trainer, who was flown there by the Chopras nearly a month ago.

Unlike Dhoom 2 (2006), Bachchan has enough time to get into shape for Dhoom 3. A friend of the actor explains, “Back then, Abhishek had finished shooting Mani Ratnam’s Guru, for which he had to put on about 12 kilos. Since the shooting of Dhoom 2 was scheduled to start soon because dates of all the main actors were coordinated, he didn’t get enough time to lose the extra weight he had put on for Guru. The schedule of Dhoom 3 will start later this year so he has enough time to ensure he becomes fit for all the action in the thriller.”

To help Bachchan reach his fittest best, the trainer has banned him from eating junk food and sweets. Instead, Bachchan has been put on a minimal-carbohydrates and high-protein diet, which includes a healthy portion of salads and shakes. To lose the unwanted pounds and also maintain his fitness levels, he starts training early morning, before reporting to the sets of Players.

Since he does not want a muscled look, the actor only does minimal weight training. “The idea is to get Abhishek to look as lean as Hollywood actors like Johnny Depp and Robert Pattinson. His fitness regimen includes a 10-kilometer run in the outdoors, followed by spinning and cycling. Unlike extensive weight training and abs exercises, this training regimen will not only control weight but also help him stay fit in the long run,” explains the actor’s friend, adding that Bachchan also has a long swim regularly at the hotel where he’s put up.

When asked about working out with an international trainer for Dhoom 3, the actor remained non-committal. “It’s too early to talk about it as I’ve been shooting for Players in New Zealand for about a month. People at Yash Raj will be the best to contact for this.”
However, on being probed about his new fitness regime, Bachchan says, “As an actor, it’s not only important for me to play the part to the best of my abilities but also look as convincing as I possibly can. For that, it’s important to start preparing in good time.

Sometimes we have to put on weight and sometimes we have to lose weight for the roles we play. If a director wants me to train in a particular way, I must comply with how he wants my character to look and behave.”

(Hiren Kotwani, Hindustan Times)