Arjun Kapoor on his fitness transformation: I am not Tiger Shroff, and I am not attempting to be

Arjun Kapoor has been working hard for the last 15 months to acquire a well-defined physique, and recently shared a jaw-dropping transformation picture that for the internet talking. He admits he went on the journey as he owes it to his profession and audience, and he is still a work in progress.

“I sat at home when the first lockdown happened and wondered what can I do to get out of this rut of where I’m physically not able to cope? I realised that I have been running a rat race without being without taking care of myself. I was just doing work because I’m supposed to work,” confesses Kapoor, who embarked on a journey in Bollywood with the release of Ishaqzaade in 2012.

In fact, before his debut too, Kapoor worked hard on himself to shed some kilos. This time, the pandemic-induced lockdown in 2020 set him on a path to introspect and reinvent.

“Before I started, I lost around 50 kgs. I was in my 20s then, I went from 143 kgs down to 93 kgs. But 10 years later, my body has changed. I have had injuries, health issues, workload etc. But it’s not that I’m not mentally capable. It might take me longer physically to do it, which is why it has taken me 15 months to get into shape,” says the 36-year-old.

All this while, he knew he was capable, and kept on looking for correct motivation.

“I realised that the motivation comes from my work. The fact that I want to get respect and love from my audience again, I will do anything for that. For me, the audience is sacrosanct. I didn’t do it for any other reason,” says the actor, who is currently shooting for his next project in Manali.

He continues, “I just went back into this groove, and said, ‘I owe it to my profession, I owe it to my makers and my audience’ that I need to. I am not Tiger Shroff. I accept that. I’m not attempting to be. He is unique in what he does. I want to be the best version of Arjun Kapoor that has been loved by audiences”.

But the longer route to attain his health target doesn’t steer him away from his goal.

“I am willing to work hard. The fact is when you are not able to physically transform, a lot of it gets misconstrued that he’s not working hard. And that’s something that I’m not. I’m very focused and professional, otherwise you won’t survive 10 years in an industry that is cut throat. While I know my strengths and weaknesses, I also know that I had to feel physically fit to be mentally fit,” he says.

That’s how he started his journey, which got a boost when he started working on Ek Villain Returns, and continues with Kuttey and The Lady Killer. But it wasn’t easy, with contracting Covid-19 putting him off track for some time.

“Waking up and not seeing the results is difficult sometimes, especially when you are working your a** off, training twice a day. Eating right. (This time) I had a back injury. It was tough and then you have to take a pause, and balance things out,” he says.

Kapoor adds, “Then, COVID happened to me that set me back by a couple of months. Because you have to be careful after that. A lot of people don’t realise how damaging it is post COVID to go into full throttle. I was very careful. So, there are days, and weeks, but you have to come back and fight harder”.

He says he is still a “work in progress”, sharing, “Just like most people who live in this country, who have to work very hard for their living, in between that trying to make a life where which is healthy and fit is not easy. You can never feel that your job is done”.

And as he completes a decade in the industry, he is also working on pushing himself “emotionally and mentally”.

“As cliche as it sounds, it feels like time has just flown. I remember each day of shooting Ishaqzaade. It is engraved. And it was a tough film to do. We shot a summer film in the winter of Lucknow,” he says, admitting that working on it introduced him to a new India.

“Staying in Lucknow for three months was the first time that I had been away from home in India for that long, through which I discovered a new culture within our own country. It was an eye opener because I there’s a part of India that you sit in Juhu and assume you know, and then you live in a different part and realize that there is so much more and that is what actually defines your audience eventually,” he says.

His mother being on set, witnessing him in action, is something he will always close to his heart. “The most nicest experience was having my mother come on set in Lucknow for two days. That was one of the most amazing things for me that I’ll always cherish,” says Kapoor.

“It was a big learning curve and a humbling experience. It prepared me for the rest of these 10 years. It was a Boot Camp 101 for me,” he wraps up.