Shahid Kapoor gained 8 kg and shed 14 kg for Kabir Singh. What is the secret of his weight loss?

Shahid Kapoor’s Kabir Singh stands as his highest-grossing solo film and was the second biggest Bollywood hit of 2019. Directed by Sandeep Vanga Reddy, this Hindi remake of the Telugu film Arjun Reddy took the box office by storm despite receiving mixed reviews. While opinions on the film were divided, Shahid’s intense performance was widely praised by both critics and audiences. But did you know that to perfect his role, he underwent a dramatic physical transformation—gaining eight kilos initially and later shedding 14 kilos to fit different phases of the character?

In an interview with Mid-Day, Shahid Kapoor revealed the intense physical transformation he underwent for Kabir Singh. To achieve the bulky look required for certain scenes, he worked closely with his trainer, Samir Jaura, to create a structured weight gain plan. His diet was packed with carb-heavy foods, significantly increasing his calorie intake. While his body needed 2,000 calories, his trainer was giving him 3,600-4,000 calories a day. His meals included dense-calorie foods like rice and pasta.

Shedding 14 kilos

Once those scenes were filmed, the challenge shifted—he had to shed 14 kilos to convincingly portray a young medical student. This drastic transformation was crucial in making his character’s evolution look authentic. But how did he do it? His disciplined fitness regimen and strict diet played a key role in achieving this remarkable transition.

His secret?

Shahid Kapoor wanted to appear youthful and natural for the college-phase scenes in Kabir Singh, avoiding a sculpted or overly polished physique that wouldn’t suit the character of a medical student. He emphasized that diet played the most significant role in his transformation, making up nearly 75% of the process. As a vegetarian who follows a healthy lifestyle and avoids alcohol, he relied on strict calorie control and intense training to shed weight effectively.

While many might assume that rigorous workouts were the key to his drastic weight loss, it was actually his carefully monitored diet that made the biggest impact. His trainer, Samir Jaura, designed a structured plan, ensuring the weight loss was steady and healthy over two months. Shahid trained for three to four hours daily, focusing on boot camp-style exercises and agility drills, with a heavy emphasis on cardiovascular workouts to burn fat. His meals were restricted to four to five per day, with a strict calorie limit of 1,800 to achieve the desired look without compromising his health.