The actor's bulky appearance at a recent awards show had fans guessing if it is the first of the three looks for his role as Sanjay Dutt.
Shriram Iyengar
Ranbir Kapoor's methodical take on the character of Sanjay Dutt seems to be in progress. The actor has reportedly set himself on a weight training schedule to gain weight to look like Sanjay from the 1990s in Rajkumar Hirani's biopic. The actor has reportedly gained 13 kgs for the role and is starting to look the part.
At the recent Bright Awards in Mumbai, the actor made an appearance in a dapper suit and the trademark Jagga Jasoos glasses. However, it was no longer the same Kapoor of Barfi! or even Jagga Jasoos. The wiry frame of the actor has been replaced with a more robust build, which was visible even through his double-breasted blue suit.
The film will see Kapoor shape-shift through three different looks — a beefy persona, a lean look resembling Sanjay in the 90s and the third look during Sanjay's time in drug rehab.
The Jagga Jasoos actor is receiving help from Kunal Gir, the trainer responsible for Rana Daggubatti's awe-inspiring physique in Baahubali 2. In an interview, Gir revealed that Kapoor has been put on an intensive regime to gain muscle mass. He said, "He has gained more than 13 kgs now which is all muscle and no fat. His waistline has gone down by an inch and he has been losing fat while building up. Ranbir has an hour-and-a-half of intense workout sessions. It's a big challenge bulking up like Sanjay, but Ranbir is committed to do whatever needs to be done. He wakes up at 3 am, has a protein shake and goes back to sleep."
While others are praising Kapoor's commitment to the role, the actor himself has not been too confident of it. In an interview to news agency PTI, he said, "It is a very difficult film. To represent Sanjay Dutt and work with (director) Rajkumar Hirani, I don't even think I deserve this film."
Hirani's film will also see Manisha Koirala, Paresh Rawal fill in as Nargis and Sunil Dutt, while Dia Mirza will play Sanjay's current wife Manyata Dutt. Sonam Kapoor is expected to play the role of one of the heroines Sanjay was in love with.
