"Was aware I'd have to lose weight," said Rana (courtesy ranadaggubat, Kunal Gir)
Highlights
- "I was aware that I'd have to lose weight," said Rana
- "He has lost almost 15 kg," Rana Daggubati's trainer said
- "I didn't eat non-veg for almost six weeks," added Rana
Rana Daggubati will be seen in a new persona in the
recently-announced film Haathi Mere Saathi, for which, he had to lose some 15 kilos in three months. The actor's transformation from
Baahubali's Bhallala Deva to Bandev of
Haathi Mere Saathi is quite a striking one - his first look from the movie, released on the first day of the New Year, took netizens by surprise. Rana Daggubati had beefed up to play the role of Bhallala Deva in the
Baahubali series of films and after the second one wrapped last year, he said he knew he'd have to
return to his regular physique for pending projects.
Speaking to
mid-day, he said: "After finishing Baahubali, I was aware that I'd have to lose weight to play any character. So, I started the process slowly. To get in shape for Haathi Mere Saathi, I didn't eat non-veg for almost six weeks. I stopped weight training and did simple cardio exercises to shed the muscle."
Rana Daggubati's training supervisor Kunal Gir told
mid-day that the actor's current diet is a direct opposite of what he was following during
Baahubali days. "During Baahubali, his physique fluctuated for four years. He had to follow a strict diet, eliminate carbs and consume only proteins. But, this time, it was the other way around,"
mid-day quoted Kunal as saying. "He has lost almost 15 kg," he added.
Wish you a Happy Everything!! @ranadaggubati I've known Rana for 9 years now! I've seen him grow from a young politician "Arjun Prasad" ( Leader) in to a Mammoth of a man " Bhallaladeva" ( Bahubali). The only thing bigger than his muscles is his Heart. He is the first to welcome and befriend new, aspiring actors and make them feel at home. From the biggies like Ranbir Kapoor to aspiring actors, all have found a friend in him. In my own case, Rana has always endorsed me to everyone wholeheartedly. I've worked with many types of clients and have learnt that not all will help you grow for the fear of losing you. But Rana has been selfless and his generosity is a big part of my success. From Karan Johar, Rakul Preet , Ranbir Kapoor, Ram Charan, to many others that I've had the privilege to work with( again, thanks to Rana) all have shared the same opinion about him - that he will go out of his way to help others. Be it helping the flood victims in Chennai or an aspiring actor in the industry, Rana is all heart. Wishing this BIG guy a life time full of happiness.
A post shared by Kunal Gir (@kunalgir) on
To be directed by Prabhu Solomon,
Haathi Mere Saathi will begin shooting in Thailand soon. The movie will also be filmed across India and is a trilingual project - Hindi, Telugu and Tamil versions of the movie will be released.
Haathi Mere Saathi, which is said to be tribute to Rajesh Khanna, is expected to be ready for release during Diwali this year.