No short-term goals

Actor Kunal Kapoor on doing films based on food, and the need to stick to a workout

Mix and match works: Kunal Kapoor. Photo: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar.

For actor Kunal Kapoor, 2012 has been a mixed bag, with some “really good stuff” and some “really bad stuff.” Luv Shuv Te Chicken Khurana fell in the former category.

New identity

“

Luv Shuv was a wonderful experience. We wanted to do something new. We wanted to create a new identity for Punjabis, usually portrayed as over the top and too loud,” he says.

But, did the film, almost entirely based on food and the speciality dish of a dhaba, change his eating habits? Kunal sighs. “It’s very painful to do a ‘food’ film because you have to eat the same thing over and over again. In the first take, you’re happy with the jalebis. But, by the end of the 15th take, you never want to see jalebis for the rest of your life.”

Kunal, who admits to having an extremely bad sweet tooth, says he does not follow a diet plan unless he has signed up for a film where he has to look fit. “I often eat desserts before the main course. I’m fortunate my metabolism is good. I can eat everything and get away with it,” he says.

Fitness has always been his priority. He is regular at the gym, and practises kalaripayattu and parkour. “I enjoy this combination,” he says.

When it comes to physical exercise, Kunal firmly believes one should never look at short-term goals. “You shouldn’t set a target to lose a certain number of kilos in, say, three months. You might lose the weight, but you will end up piling it all back,” he says.

The actor, who has signed up for an action film, also believes fitness should be fun. While he follows a routine, Kunal tries a mix of exercises. “Working out should not be a burden. You should look at exercise as something that keeps you fit, as opposed to something that just makes you look good,” he says.