Latest news with #BhaagMilkhaBhaag
Pink Villa
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
‘Tough taskmaster hai': Javed Akhtar REACTS to working with kids Zoya-Farhan and we bet you don't want to miss this
Veteran screenwriter and lyricist Javed Akhtar has been in the industry for several decades. From working with 90s directors to working with his children, he has done it all. He is also quite open about his thoughts and doesn't shy away from speaking his heart out. Recently, he opened up about working with his children Zoya Akhtar and Farhan Akhtar. He also called Zoya a 'tough taskmaster'. In a recent interview with The Lallantop, Javed Akhtar opened up on working with his children and said, 'Kaam karna apne bachho ke liye bada mushkil hai.' He further added, 'Dusro ke liye kaam karna asaan hai, apne bachho ke liye bada mushkil hain. Unko aisa nahi hai ki hamara baap hain toh hum kuch kahe nahin. Humein toh kuch kehna hi hain. Zoya tough taskmaster hai.' (It's easier to work for others; working for your own children is very difficult. They don't think, 'He's our father so we won't say anything.' In fact, they feel they must say something. Zoya is a tough taskmaster). Although both Zoya Akhtar and Farhan Akhtar have made their mark as filmmakers, they gravitate toward very different genres. Reflecting on this, veteran screenwriter Javed Akhtar praised them as smart storytellers and noted that their filmmaking styles are distinctly unique. He added that while both are successful in their own right, neither could make a film quite like the other. For the unversed, Zoya Akhtar is known for some hit films like Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, Dil Dhadakne Do, and Gully Boy. Meanwhile, Farhan Akhtar is both an actor and director. He has played pivotal roles in Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, Dil Dhadakne Do, Rock On!! and more. Making a directorial debut with Dil Chahta Hai, he is gearing up for his next directorial Don 3, starring Ranveer Singh in the lead role. He will also be seen in 120 Bahadur.
Time of India
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
What does it truly take for actors to transform for sports biopics?
Playing any character on the big screen comes with its own set of challenges. However, the level of difficulty rises significantly when it comes to a biopic, especially one based on a sports person. It's not just about mimicking their moves or donning their sports attire; there's much more to it than meets the eye. To do complete justice to the role, an actor must understand their struggles, embody their spirit, and undergo both physical and mental transformation. The best part is that, in today's era of cinematic marvels, Bollywood has consistently delivered some iconic sports biopics. From Priyanka Chopra's Mary Kom to Farhan Akhtar's Bhaag Milkha Bhaag and Aamir Khan's Dangal, each of these films blurred the line between reel and real. And to create such cinematic spectacles, the actors had to undergo a complete 360-degree transformation. The physical transformation, which is more than just a makeover There have not been one but several examples where actors have completely transformed themselves physically to portray a sports icon. And in their transformation journey, they had to undergo intense training. The latest example of the same is Kartik Aaryan from 'Chandu Champion.' The 'Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety' fame star, known for his chocolate boy image, had to shed down to 7% body fat and sculpt a body befitting an Olympic gold medalist. 'Building this body was a work of a lot of patience, and it took really long time. I had never imagined a film like this, a genre like this, and this is something I've never attempted,' Kartik told ETimes in an interview. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The Cost Of Amusement Park Equipment From Mexico Might Surprise You Amusement Park Equipment | search ads Click Here Undo Similarly, when Priyanka Chopra portrayed Mary Kom, she encountered the enormous challenge of embodying the physicality of a global boxing champion. She not only went through rigorous boxing training but also needed to effectively showcase the speed, strength, and endurance of an experienced boxer — a task that demanded months of tireless practice and mental fortitude. Chandu Champion - Official Trailer Farhan Akhtar's portrayal of the Flying Sikh in Bhaag Milkha Bhaag remains one of the most celebrated examples of an actor's physical transformation. The actor was never fat per se, but 'The idea was to get an athletic body, not the bulky Ghajini-type,' said trainer Sameer Jaura. Akhtar had two looks in the film, one of a bulky slider and the other was of a lean runner. 'To bulk up, I had to gain an additional eight kilos. And later, I lost 10 kilos to weigh 64kg for the second look,' he said. The actor did a mix of athletic training routine, mixed with functional and weight training, and achieved a physique without the use of any steroids. He explained, 'Every day, I'd work on my legs, back, then chest, shoulders, biceps, and triceps. This was a 12-week programme. As the weights kept getting heavier, the reps decreased. After three months, I moved to Tabata, a high-intensity workout in which I had to pull off maximum repetitions in a given period. We combined two muscle groups every day – chest-biceps, back-triceps, and shoulders-legs. I did eight-10 sets (each lasting 90 seconds) per body part.' 'In the last six months, when I was supposed to slim down, I moved to endurance training with weights. We combined two muscle groups in a day and did 15 sets of 100 reps per body part. The weights remained consistent throughout all sets. I finished training in December 2012. I was left with just 5% body fat,' he added. And this transformation also takes a toll. When Diljit Dosanjh was getting ready for ' Soorma ,' the biopic on Hockey Player Sandeep Singh, he unfortunately had to face a few repercussions of intense training as well. Bhaag Milkha Bhaag: Official trailer According to PTI, the actor shared, 'The role was extremely draining with so much intense training. Physically, it was very tough. I had a lot of problems post-shooting the film. When I was shooting, I had stopped consuming sugar, I used to eat salt very little". However, there were these side effects as the actor had limited time to get into the desired shape. 'Because we wanted the physique of an athlete in a very short time, I pushed my body a lot to achieve that result. When the film got over and I started eating normally, I got swelling on my hands, face, and all over my body. There was a reaction. When you reduce the intake of salt, the water in your body doesn't stay, and you get cramps," he said. Training like an athlete As aforementioned, for a sports biopic, the actors need to understand the mentality of the sports icon as well. Not just that, they need to understand the sport and go through a proper athletic training. An example of the same was seen in 'Dangal,' where the stakes were significantly higher. Aamir Khan, before cutting down the extra fat, had to gain nearly 30 kilos to embody the older version of Mahavir Singh Phogat. Later, he lost weight to depict his younger, fitter self. However, it wasn't just about Aamir; newcomers Fatima Sana Shaikh and Sanya Malhotra, who portrayed Geeta and Babita Phogat, had no prior experience in wrestling. They spent months training with professional wrestlers, following intense workout routines, mastering real wrestling techniques, and even facing off against actual wrestlers during the filming process. This rigorous preparation ensured that when viewers watched 'Dangal,' it felt genuine rather than like actors merely pretending to wrestle. The emotional tolls and triumphs The emotional journey of preparing for a sports biopic is just as exhausting as the physical one. Priyanka Chopra admitted that preparing for Mary Kom pushed her to emotional extremes. Taking to her social media handle, the actress shared, 'Playing #MaryKom was not what I expected at all. The weight of telling the story of a living, national icon put a load on me that I hadn't shouldered before. It was surreal in many ways. She was a world champion sportswoman who was and is still competing and is on top of her game. It was an honour but also a huge responsibility for me as an actor. She continued, "It was both physically and emotionally demanding requiring an extreme amount of training to not just get into the physical shape but to learn her particular style of boxing... she is left handed and I'm right. So I had to learn to box as a south paw which was a challenge. It's an experience I will never forget. An amazing team and an equally supportive Mary herself saw me through it all.' In conclusion Behind every successful sports biopic lies an actor's untold story of transformation — an unrelenting journey of physical hardship, emotional upheaval, and spiritual growth. As viewers, we are often captivated by the final performance, but rarely do we comprehend the sheer magnitude of preparation it demands.
