Shillong, October 6: Imran Khan, renowned for his roles in movies such as ‘Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na,’ ‘Delhi Belly,’ ‘Once Upon a Time in Mumbai Dobaara,’ and more, has opened up about his past feelings of ‘insecurity’ regarding his physique and discussed his fitness journey.
As per IANS, he took to Instagram and shared a series of pictures showcasing his upper body with visible stitch marks. The second image is a collage highlighting his muscular back, while the last one captures him waving candidly at the cameras.
Accompanying the photos, Imran penned a heartfelt note, stating, “I’ve always been skinny. I’m one of those hyper-metabolic people; my body just burns through whatever I consume. Oh no, what a terrible affliction! In my late teens, guys around me started joining gyms and working out. They started to expand, their biceps stretching the sleeves of their t-shirts. I wore a size S, and my sleeves were still loose.”
“I didn’t need to be muscular to play Jai Singh Rathore… but I was convinced that I was too skinny, which is why Jai mostly wears two layers of clothing throughout ‘Jaane Tu.’ For my next film, ‘Kidnap,’ I hit the gym in earnest and began my journey into bodybuilding,” he shared.
Imran continued: “Over the next few years, the sculpting and maintenance of my body became part of my lifestyle. I worked out regularly, but still, I would hear ‘So… you’ll bulk up a bit before we start shooting, right?,’ ‘You’re looking weak,’ ‘You look like a little boy, not a man,’ and ‘The heroine looks bigger than you’ (ouch for both of us!).”
“In hindsight, I think I looked fine… but at the time, I felt insecure. I wanted a powerful, heroic physique. So I tried harder. Exercise means nothing without nutrition; 6 meals a day, totaling 4000 calories. Chicken breast, egg whites, sweet potato, oats, flax seeds… all good stuff, but still not enough to make my biceps look like the heroes I saw on screen. No, for that, I needed to supplement with whey protein, creatine, leucine, glutamine, L-carnitine… and ultimately, even anabolic steroids. Shock and horror! We’re not supposed to admit that part out loud; it could totally ruin the illusion,” he candidly shared.
Discussing his mental health, Imran revealed, “In recent years, as I battled depression and stopped working out, I became skinnier than I’d ever been. When I was photographed, it sparked a media discussion about my well-being, and speculations of drug abuse! I felt deeply ashamed, embarrassed to be seen by anyone in this state. So I retreated further.”
He concluded on a positive note, saying, “It’s been an uphill journey, but these days I’m doing better than ever; I exercise with my old friend @tokastraining who puts my health first and only feeds me supplements like walnuts and turmeric… seriously. And while I’m still a tad jealous of those dudes with superhero muscles… I don’t feel bad about myself.”
In response, a fan praised his authenticity, to which Imran replied that it comes naturally to him, and it’s not as daunting as the darker times he’s faced.
Actor Akshay Oberoi expressed respect for Imran’s honesty, and Shruti Seth thanked him for being open about his journey.