Actor Vikram is promoting his new film Thangalaan, which also stars Malayalam actress Parvathi Thiruvoth. The actor, known for transforming his body for various characters, plays a village chief from the 1800s in the film. In a conversation with a podcast show, Vikram opened up about his drastic efforts to look the part and how, at one point, he even weighed lighter than his heroine! Interestingly, when he started shooting for Shankar's 2015 film I, he was around 90 kgs and had to bring it down to 52 in a few months to get the right look for his bodybuilder character. Meanwhile, his heroine in the film, Amy Jackson, who was also playing a supermodel, weighed 54 kgs! Vikram joked that there was a scene in which he had to carry Amy, and he used to ask her to marry him instead, as she weighs more than him.
Weight loss efforts and effects
Vikram said he used to eat only 50 calories but used to work out to lose 100 calories, alongside doing 15 km of cycling, ropes and resistance band training every day while shooting for I, said Vikram. The actor, who called the strategy 'stupid,' however, said, 'I didn't know how else to do it within a short time. I'm sure it affected my health.' His doctor used to ask him to regularly do tests to check his health. They even told Vikram that his health parameters are shifting, and if an organ fails, it is unclear how he will cope with it. And mind it, it was all for one scene!
Rapid weight loss creates health risks
According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), rapid, excessive weight loss through intense dieting, extreme exercise, fluid restriction, medication use, or fasting without electrolyte supplementation can lead to many adverse effects. They can result in electrolyte derangements, decreased athletic performance, hormone imbalance, and potential organ damage. While those working in the film industry try it as part of their job, they also have medical experts to monitor their health and give timely advice, which can be absent in the case of the common man. Therefore, do not follow in the footsteps of celebrities to shed your weight. According to NIH, losing up to 2 pounds a week for a period of six months would be a healthy strategy to reduce weight.
