During a promotional event for the highly anticipated film ‘Mr & Mrs Mahi,’ Bollywood star Janhvi Kapoor shared insights into the intense transformation she undertook to accurately portray her character, Mahi, a doctor turned cricketer. Helmed by director Sharan Sharma, the film also stars Rajkummar Rao and is generating significant excitement among fans following the release of its trailer.
Speaking at the event in Delhi on Tuesday, Janhvi opened up about the physically demanding preparations she underwent for her role. Known for her dedication, the 27-year-old actor revealed that the training regimen she adopted was both rigorous and extensive. “I wasn’t very radiant while shooting for this film. When I started preparing for the role, I was in the midst of promoting ‘Good Luck Jerry’ and possibly shooting for ‘Mili’. I was about 8-9 kilos heavier at the time,” she disclosed.
The actor also shared an anecdote about the director’s concerns regarding her physical fitness. “Sharan was very stressed because I didn’t look like a cricketer,” she explained. “He advised that if I really wanted to do the film, I needed to start losing weight and begin cricket training.”
This marked the beginning of a profound transformation journey for Janhvi. With the guidance of her coach, Abhishek Nair, she embraced an intense daily routine that included strength training, conditioning, cardio, and cricket practice. Describing her schedule, she noted, “My daily routine was very intense. My coach, Abhishek Nair, said the training I was undergoing was more intense compared to the training for IPL players.”
Janhvi detailed her grueling training sessions, which involved practicing in the nets with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) players and adhering to a strict low-carb diet. “I used to wake up in the morning and practice in the nets with the KKR players for about two hours,” she recounted. “Then I would go to Bandra for strength training, conditioning, and cardio, which took around an hour. After that, I attended meetings, and if there was a shoot, I would go for the shoot. After wrapping up, I would practice for another two hours. So, it was almost five to six hours of physical training every day.”
Her dedication to the role did not go unnoticed by her colleagues and fellow filmmakers. However, the physical toll on her body was evident. “My other directors and producers were upset because I kept losing weight,” Janhvi admitted.
. “I remember going to one schedule of the ‘Bawaal’ set, and Nitesh sir remarked, ‘You’ve become so thin.’ I was also shooting for ‘Devara’ for two days, and everyone commented that I didn’t look as glowing and appeared tired.”
Yet, the path to transformation was filled with challenges. Janhvi suffered ligament injuries in both shoulders during her training, uncovering her multidirectional instability (MDI), a condition beneficial for dancers but problematic for cricketers. Despite these setbacks, she persevered and completed her training, driven by an unwavering commitment to her role.
The filmmakers recently released a behind-the-scenes clip showcasing Janhvi’s journey. The clip features insights from the director, coaches, and Janhvi herself. In the footage, Sharma explains that Janhvi initially assumed the training would be similar to her preparations for ‘Gunjan Saxena,’ but soon realized it was a completely different challenge.
The coaches elaborated on her training process, which included observing international cricketers and undergoing an intensive cricket workshop. Janhvi candidly admitted to being the “most unathletic person” with no prior knowledge of cricket, highlighting the extent of her transformation.
Sharing a glimpse of her journey on Instagram, Janhvi expressed gratitude to her trainers, Abhishek Nayar and Vikrant Yeligeti. She wrote, “The two years of training for this film was a huge part of my routine and life that no one saw. It feels strange looking back at myself in different shapes, sizes, and levels of my game. The courage, motivation, guidance, and strength I received from my coaches were invaluable. Thank you for everything, and sorry for the days I was irritating.”
‘Mr & Mrs Mahi’ marks Janhvi’s second collaboration with director Sharan Sharma, following their successful partnership in ‘Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl.’ The film also reunites her with Rajkummar Rao, after their successful pairing in ‘Roohi.’ Produced by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions, the film is set to hit theatres on May 31.
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