Celebrity fitness trainer Pradeep Bhatia, who has worked with Ranbir Kapoor, Diljit Dosanjh, Katrina Kaif, Malaika Arora, and Arjun Rampal, recently spoke to ETimes about training Vineet Kumar Singh for his recently released film Chhaava starring Vicky Kaushal in the lead. Pradeep, who has been in the fitness industry for years, shared insights into the rigorous preparation Vineet underwent for the role.
For Chhaava, Vineet had to gain weight in a healthy way while avoiding excess fat. “He was eating clean food with high carbohydrates but no fats. He had turned vegetarian, so meat was off the table. Despite this, he stayed dedicated to his workouts,” Pradeep revealed.
However, Vineet faced challenges beyond diet. “He got injured twice—once when he fell off a horse and another time during a sword-fighting sequence. But he never backed down. He would come to the gym and say, ‘This body part is injured. What else can we do today?’ He never let injuries or pain affect his commitment,” Pradeep added.
The actor trained for one and a half to two hours daily, ensuring thorough stretching of his injured arm before workouts, as prescribed by his doctor. His diet mainly consisted of vegetables, sweet potatoes, potatoes, and rice, while rotis and oily foods were avoided to prevent belly fat gain.
Pradeep has trained Ranbir Kapoor since 2008 and was responsible for his physical transformation in multiple films. “I trained him for Rockstar, Besharam, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, Raajneeti. My name even appears in the Rockstar credits,” he shared.
For Rockstar, Ranbir had to lose 6 kgs for the struggling phase of his character. “He was already lean, but for the sequence where his character is thrown out of his house and struggles, he had to drop from 74 kgs to 67-68 kgs. We eliminated carbs from his diet and reduced non-veg intake,” Pradeep explained.
Having trained Diljit Dosanjh for 12 years, Pradeep believes his energy is unmatched. “It is impossible to match Diljit’s energy. He is totally dedicated to his roles,” he said.
For Soorma, Diljit had to look like a hockey player, while Amar Singh Chamkila required an incredible transformation. “He had to lose 15 kgs to look like a college boy. His commitment is set in stone—he would wake up, workout, maintain his diet, shoot, and still make time for his music. He is a heavy-duty product,” Pradeep added.
