In an inspiring tale of hard work and transformation, Bollywood actor Janhvi Kapoor shared the rigorous path she undertook to prepare for her role in the upcoming film ‘Mr & Mrs Mahi.’ Directed by Sharan Sharma and co-starring Rajkummar Rao, the film has already generated considerable buzz with its trailer release. During a promotional event in Delhi, Kapoor opened up about the demanding journey she embarked on to step into the role of Mahi, a doctor-turned-cricketer.
Janhvi Kapoor, at just 27 years old, has shown incredible dedication to her craft, investing countless hours in physical training and adhering to a stringent fitness routine. Discussing the challenging preparation, Janhvi revealed, “I wasn’t very radiant while shooting for this film. When I started preparing for this film, I was promoting ‘Good Luck Jerry’. I was possibly shooting for ‘Mili’ and I was about 8-9 kilos heavier. Sharan was very stressed and told me that I didn’t look like a cricketer. He said if I really wanted to do this film, I needed to start losing weight and begin cricket training.”
This challenge marked the start of an intense personal transformation for Janhvi. Guided by her coach, Abhishek Nair, her daily routine became a rigorous regimen of physical training. Janhvi elaborated, “My daily routine was very intense. I was at the peak of my training, and my coach, Abhishek Nair, said that the training I was undergoing was more intense than what they did with their IPL players.”
Her daily schedule involved grueling sessions in the nets with players from the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), combined with strength training, conditioning, cardio, and cricket practice, all spread over five to six hours each day. Janhvi also adopted a strict low-carb diet to facilitate her physical transformation, which led to noticeable changes in her physique.
Elaborating on her routine, Janhvi said, “I used to wake up in the morning and practice in the nets with the KKR players, who he had recruited. We would practice there for 2 hours. Then I would go to Bandra for strength training, conditioning, and cardio, which took about an hour. After that, I would attend meetings. If there was a shoot, I would go for the shoot, and after wrapping up, I would practice for another 2 hours at a ground in Bandra. So yeah, it was almost 5-6 hours of physical training every day. I was following a very low-carb diet and shooting simultaneously for other projects.
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The transformation journey was not without its challenges. Janhvi’s commitment to the role impacted her appearance and energy levels, leading to comments from other filmmakers about her changing look. “My other directors and producers were getting very upset because I kept losing weight. I remember going to one schedule of the ‘Bawaal’ set, and Nitesh sir looked at me and said, ‘You’ve become so thin.’ I was also shooting for ‘Devara’ for two days, and everyone remarked that I didn’t look as glowing as I used to and that I looked tired. This was all during the course of this film, and I think it went on for a while. But now, I’m starting to feel like myself again, and of course, each of these challenges will take me through a longer process,” Janhvi shared.
Despite the hurdles, Janhvi’s dedication to her role remained unwavering. The filmmakers recently released a behind-the-scenes clip that showcased her transformation journey, featuring insights from director Sharan Sharma, the coaches, and Janhvi herself. In the clip, Sharma noted that Janhvi initially assumed the training would be similar to her preparations for ‘Gunjan Saxena,’ only to quickly realize it was an entirely different challenge.
The coaches described how Janhvi participated in a cricket workshop and observed international cricketers as part of her training regimen. She even suffered ligament injuries on both shoulders during the process, revealing her multidirectional instability—a condition beneficial for dancers but problematic for cricketers.
Through perseverance and determination, Janhvi overcame these setbacks and completed her training. Reflecting on her journey, Janhvi candidly admitted to being the “most unathletic person” who had no prior knowledge of cricket.
Sharing a glimpse of her behind-the-scenes journey on Instagram, Janhvi expressed gratitude to her trainers. “The two years of training that went into this film was such a huge part of my routine and life – that no one saw. It feels weird looking back at myself in all different shapes and sizes and levels of my game but the one thing that stayed with me the most was the courage, motivation, guidance, and strength I got from the faith that both my coaches had in me. Abhishek Nayar and Vikrant Yeligeti thank you for everything!! And sorry for all the days I was irritating, I know there were a few.”
‘Mr & Mrs Mahi’ marks Janhvi Kapoor’s second collaboration with director Sharan Sharma, following their successful partnership in ‘Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl.’ Reuniting with Rajkummar Rao after their pairing in ‘Roohi,’ the film, backed by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions, is set to hit theatres on May 31.
As Janhvi Kapoor’s journey to embody her character Mahi unfolds, audiences eagerly await what promises to be an enthralling cinematic experience, fueled by her unwavering dedication and transformative efforts.
