How Mr India Keeps Fit During the Lockdown

Self-effacing Anil Kapoor has dominated the Hindi film screen for four decades, playing lead roles in blockbusters like Mashaal, Mr. India, Ishwar, Ram Lakhan, Teezab, 1942 - A Love Story – and the British film, Slumdog Millionaire.  In Friday’s Live With Raj Nayak, which is live-streamed in BW Businessworld.in, he divulges his fitness routine

Despite having enjoyed so much success, how do you still remain so grounded? You’ve done some of the biggest hits this country has seen and still you are humility personified. How do you manage to keep sane?
I don’t manage. I just be myself. You know, it’s very tiring being fake. You know, it’s very tiring being not yourself. It’s very exhausting to put on an act. Because I conserve the energy for my family and my work and so, I don’t waste energy, trying to be what I’m not.

So, I just be myself and that’s the way I am. And if they feel that I am grounded and accessible in the field, this is the way I am.

But sometimes on a set and when I’m working, you can see the other side of me. When people are not committed to the work and they lie or are dishonest, when there’s no integrity and loyalty – that upsets me and makes me angry. Then you can see those kinds of spurts in me. Then I do get upset. But otherwise, I just live and let live.

So how do you manage to keep your discipline when it comes to fitness?
I think it’s my work which keeps me more integrated. It’s my work, it’s my profession because I love it. I want to do whatever possible within my abilities as an actor, because I feel as an actor you have to keep on improving your craft. How do you use your craft?

The only instrument you have is your body and your mind. So if you keep your body and mind fit, then you can keep on improving your craft.

So, to improve your craft as an actor, you have to have a healthy mind and a healthy body. And that’s one of the reasons I keep raising the bar, so that I can improve myself as an actor.

So how do you exercise every day? What’s your routine? What’s a day in the life of Anil Kapoor like?
Oh, I think I just have a one off. I’ll be exercising six days a week and then one day I rest, but not during the lockdown. One hour in the morning, I do cardios and in the evening, I do weights. So, that’s been my routine during the lockdown. I have so much time to myself, so, why not?

At the moment, it’s not about bodybuilding. It’s not about that. You know, it’s about community building and the community being fit and healthy to fight this. It is about motivating myself to build my immunity, because I’m 60 plus. So, I have to be more careful.

Anything you would like to tell your audience, all your fans all across the world?
I want to say, stay home and stay safe and, and just follow all the directives and instructions that are given by the central government and the state governments and stay fit, stay positive.

I think you will come out of it much better and the world is going to be much better for sure.  

How do you use your craft?
The only instrument you have is your body and your mind. So, if you keep your body and mind fit, then you can keep on improving your craft. You have to have a healthy body