During the promotional event for the film “Mr & Mrs Mahi,” Bollywood actress Janhvi Kapoor opened up about the gruelling journey she underwent to align herself with her character, Mahi, a doctor-turned-cricketer.
In an atmosphere charged with enthusiasm and anticipation, Janhvi Kapoor, set to mesmerise audiences in the Sharan Sharma-directed “Mr & Mrs Mahi” starring alongside RajKummar Rao, took centre stage at a promotional event in Delhi on Tuesday. The 27-year-old actress candidly revealed the tremendous effort and dedication she invested into her role, presenting a glimpse into her transformative journey.
With the trailer already released, the mounting excitement among fans is palpable. However, behind the allure of cinema and the glamour of its stars lies a story of persistence and extreme discipline. During the promotion, Janhvi elaborated on the extensive routine she adopted to bring authenticity to her character – a metamorphosis that was far from easy.
“When I started preparing for this film, I was promoting ‘Good Luck Jerry.’ Around that time, I was also filming for ‘Mili’ and weighed about 8-9 kilos more than my current weight,” Janhvi explained. The director, Sharan Sharma, reportedly stressed the importance of her looking the part, urging her to lose weight and begin intensive cricket training to fit the role.
Thus began Janhvi’s intense physical transformation. Under the guidance of her coach, Abhishek Nair, she embarked on a rigorous training journey. Her daily schedule was tinged with relentless physical challenges, even surpassing the efforts usually expected from IPL players.
“My daily routine was incredibly intense,” Janhvi elaborated. “My coach, Abhishek Nair, compared my training to that of IPL players. We initiated each day with multi-hour sessions in the nets with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) players, recruited for my training.”
Her regime incorporated every aspect necessary for a credible portrayal of a cricketer – from strength training to conditioning, cardio, and extended cricket practice, amassing up to five to six hours of physical activity each day. Janhvi’s devotion also meant embracing a stringent low-carb diet, dramatically altering her physique in a way that even her film industry peers could notice.
“I’d start my mornings with practice in the nets with KKR players for about two hours, then head to Bandra for an hour of strength training, conditioning, and cardio. After scheduled meetings or shoots, I’d end my day with another two-hour practice session. Initially, it was challenging, and maintaining such a routine daily was exhausting, but it was necessary,” she said.
This rigorous commitment inevitably took a toll. “Other directors and producers were worried because I kept losing weight.
. I remember during one schedule of ‘Bawaal,’ Nitesh sir looked at me and remarked, ‘You’ve become so thin.’ While filming ‘Devara’ for two days, everyone commented that I didn’t look as vibrant as before. All of this happened during the filming of ‘Mr & Mrs Mahi,’ and it went on for quite some time. But now, I am starting to feel like myself again, and all these challenges helped me grow significantly,” Janhvi shared.
The route to her transformation wasn’t devoid of setbacks. To showcase this intense process, the film’s makers recently released a behind-the-scenes clip chronicling Janhvi’s journey. The clip features insights from director Sharan Sharma, the coaches, and Janhvi herself. She initially assumed the training to resemble her previous film preparations but quickly realized this was an entirely different commitment.
In this revealing clip, Janhvi admitted to being the “most unathletic person” with no prior cricket knowledge. The coaches detailed the comprehensive cricket workshops and observations of international players that were integral to her training. Her challenges extended beyond merely learning cricket; she also faced physical injuries, including ligament issues in both shoulders, exposing her multidirectional instability (MDI)—a condition which aids dancers but poses problems for cricketers.
Despite these hurdles, Janhvi completed her training. Candidly reflecting on her Instagram, she shared snippets of her behind-the-scenes evolution, expressing heartfelt gratitude toward her trainers. “These two years of training were a tremendous part of my life that no one saw. It feels surreal looking back at my progression across different fitness levels. What stood out the most was the courage, motivation, guidance, and strength bestowed upon me by my coaches, Abhishek Nair and Vikrant Yeligeti. Thank you for everything, and apologies for the days I may have been a handful.”
“Mr & Mrs Mahi” not only represents Janhvi’s second collaboration with director Sharan Sharma—who earlier directed her in “Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl”—but also reunites her with Rajkummar Rao after their successful appearance in “Roohi.” Produced by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions, this highly anticipated film is scheduled to release in theatres on May 31.
This narrative underscores not just the glitz of Bollywood but also the intense preparation and steadfast dedication actors invest to lend authenticity to their roles. Janhvi Kapoor’s journey mirrors the sheer determination required to transcend one’s limits, offering audiences a nuanced and credible portrayal of Mahi – a character she has poured her heart and soul into.
