Varun Dhawan is the present heartthrob of the nation who is seen in his beastly bhediya avatar. BFH’s consulting editor Sourendra Das met Varun at ITC Royal to chew the fat about the secret behind his uber-bodacious physique.
You actually play a beast in bhediya; how beastly was your workout regime?
I ran around like a bhediya and did a lot of rock climbing. Kirti (Sanon) and Paalin kind of got scared seeing the animal instinct in me (laughs). The role demanded a lot of physical activity; hence, workout for two to three hours every day was imperative for me. I did a mix of Pilates and weight training with scorpion kicks. I also worked on strengthening my body as well as on agility, flexibility, balance, and stability. I have a very archaic way of working out. I start with focused warm-ups, then on to cardio, and then do heavy-weight training. Pilates has made my body more flexible & lean and has improved my balance. I also committed myself to a specific routine with my trainer, Devrath (Vijay), which involved imitating a certain animal’s movement pattern too.
Did you eat like a bhediya too? What is usually your regular diet?
I literally ate two plates of chicken daily like a bhediya, Kriti (Sanon) and Paalin was actually scared since I ate like an animal (laughs). I usually start my day with an omelette, some oatmeal, and a whole-wheat grain sandwich. I took brown rice, three chapatis, broccoli and baked chicken for lunch. In order to satiate my cravings, I eat papayas, bananas, lotus seeds, and a protein smoothie. I end my day with a light dinner, usually consisting of grilled chicken and green veggies. On cheat days, I indulge in chocolate milkshakes from time to time. Sometimes, I also do intermittent fasting for 12–14 hours with an eating window of 10–12 hours. Sometimes for healthy snacking, my favourite pick is some roasted makhanas or foxnuts as they are low on calories and high in calcium, protein, fibre and filling simultaneously. I drink plenty of water to stay hydrated throughout the day.
Tell us about your grooming routine and share some men’s grooming tips with our readers.
It starts with the face wash, and then I use an oil-free moisturizer. The moisturizer I use has to be oil-free because I have oily skin. One needs to use a face wash that cleans up clogged pores and refreshes the skin. It is critical to wash your face frequently and to consume plenty of coconut water and watermelon juice. My style is simple, rugged, and raw. Nowadays, my style is a bit edgy because that’s my mood. I think my style reflects my attitude most of the time. Style, to me, means being comfortable. Make sure that whatever you adorn, you are uber comfortable in it.