'I've started lifting weights'

Gandhinagar Grapevine

Actor Shivarajkumar can only grow younger, it seems. He has never looked as fit as he does in Andar Bahar, his latest release. Shivanna, as he is fondly known, has essayed several roles but he confesses that he has never played a character like the one in this film.

Talking about his role, he tells Metrolife, “It’s a portrayal of the different sides of a human being. It’s all about how respectful you are to yourself. It’s an interplay of different emotions.” He adds, “This character has two shades: the good and the bad. Circumstances change his violent ways and he decides to shun his bad past and turn over a new leaf, with his dreams and aspirations.”

He adds that the character goes through some very intense emotions in the film. “He has to confront the harshness of reality and that proves to be a turning point in his life. None of these emotions are easy to play,” he shares.

It is perhaps for the first time that Shivanna has dedicated time to building his strength for the role. “I’ve always wanted to build my body but my tough shooting schedules leave me very little time to do anything else, apart from what is required for the film. This year, for the first time, I’ve started lifting weights and I am enjoying every bit of my gym routine,” he says. He owes his disciplined workout routine to his wife, “She takes care of all my dietary requirements and makes sure that I strike a good balance between protein and carbs and stay high on energy,” he notes.

His efforts have not gone wasted, since he is all set to sport a six-pack in his forthcoming project Bajarangi and he will go with the same look for his next film, in which he plays a coach. “After playing a dark character in Bajarangi with a lot of edge-of-the-seat moments, I quickly get on to the field as a coach. These are two extreme characters and I am glad that I am getting to play a variety of roles,” he says.

And amidst his tight shooting schedule, Shivanna is also making time to catch as many IPL matches as he can. “If I had a chance, I wouldn’t miss an IPL match. It’s the best part of cricket,” he signs off.