Staying fit is one thing, the gym is another mindset altogether: Sudeep

The internet is abuzz with pictures of Kannada star Kichcha Sudeep’s latest physical transformation. Sporting a toned and muscular look, Sudeep, who is prepping for his next role in Anup Bhandari’s Billa Ranga Baashaa, lets us in on this part of his unique journey.
How long did it take for you to achieve this muscular look?
My role in Pailwaan (released in 2019) was what first initiated me get into a workout schedule.Back then, it took me a lot more time than what I had presumed it would take me to reach the goal set for the film. Then came Vikrant Rona (2022), for which my character demanded a sleek look and structure. Achieving that look involved a completely different workout approach altogether, with a very different diet plan compared to the routine I had followed for Pailwaan. However, what backfired in terms of staying on track on my physical journey was the pandemic. I tested positive for COVID twice post the shoot for Vikrant Rona, and that put me in a spot where I gained immense weight. Strong medication and the quantity of food I had to consume converted me into another person, physically. None of my clothes, including T-shirts, would fit me. I had outgrown everything. Moreover, I was asked not to do any form of exercise for at least seven months. I restarted my workout schedule gradually. So yes, it’s taken a lot for me to get to where I am right now.
Did you have to work with a trainer to attain your goals?
Yes. I had a fabulous trainer from Poland, whom I met during the making of Kotigobba 3 (2021). I had him come over to India to train me. His workout techniques and style, as well as diet plan, helped a lot.
What is the kind of diet are you currently following?
Food plays a major role in the way you look. Also, disciplined eating plays a bigger role than diet. However, addition and deletion of anything from your diet depends on the goal you have set for yourself. Right now, I am following a nutritious diet that includes two meals a day. But this will change soon.
Considering that you have always been lean and fit, was the muscular look a requirement for the role you’re playing next?
Being fit does not require one to go through a rigorous gym routine. One can stay fit by just playing a sport or with freehand exercises. The gym is another mindset altogether. This is more with the aim of building a certain structure. However, this can either be for a character or for my own growth.
Is this the look you have chosen to achieve or was this what the director wanted?
This time, it is all me. I wanted to work on myself and push myself to achieve a certain look. But my director will be very happy if I look better while portraying the character he has envisioned. When I opted to work out for Pailwaan, that was a look the director wanted of me. Pailwaan was a challenge that I had taken up. And after that, fitness and working out became a habit.
What do you have to say about actors who opt to reinvent themselves for various roles, considering that there have been people who have risked their health by going through drastic changes in too little time?
As actors, the initial aim is to be successful. After a while, you want to challenge yourself; a newness to look forward to. And then, when the opportunity to play a special character comes by, you take it up as a challenge. You do what it takes to portray that character and deliver something impossible. That is what matters. Most times, I don’t think the director asks for such a change, nor does the script demand it. It is the perception of the actor himself, on how he visualises his character.. It is about giving something new and, at the same time, finding something new within yourself.