Did You know Shahid Kapoor ‘hardly ate anything’ to play a drug addict in Udta Punjab? Director Abhishek Chaubey calls him ‘Sant Aadmi’

As a cinephile who has seen countless films, I must say that Udta Punjab stands out as one of the most impactful and authentic portrayals of drug addiction. The dedication and commitment shown by Shahid Kapoor to play the role of Tommy Singh is nothing short of inspiring.

Having followed his career for years, it’s fascinating to see an actor like him, who is a vegetarian, doesn’t consume alcohol, and doesn’t smoke, go to such lengths to bring authenticity to his character. I mean, who would have thought that drinking copious amounts of black coffee could be so effective in replicating the energy required to play a cocaine addict?

What impressed me even more was Shahid’s ability to transform his physical appearance to match his character’s struggling addict look. It just goes to show that when an actor is truly dedicated, they can make extraordinary sacrifices for their craft.

On a lighter note, I couldn’t help but wonder if Shahid Kapoor now has the record for consuming the most amount of black coffee in a film. Or maybe he should start his own line of black coffee, “Kapoor Koffee,” and market it as the perfect solution for any acting role that requires intense energy!

One of the rare films, Udta Punjab, provided an accurate portrayal of the world afflicted by drug addiction. In this movie, Shahid Kapoor’s character, Tommy Singh, left a lasting impression. Interestingly, the film’s director, Abhishek Chaubey, disclosed that Shahid went to great lengths to embody his role effectively. As a vegetarian and teetotaler, Shahid had to resort to drinking copious amounts of coffee instead. Simultaneously, he reduced his food intake to shed weight and enhance realism.

In an interview with Mashable India, director Abhishek Chaubey shared how Shahid Kapoor put in a tremendous effort to portray the character of Tommy Singh in the movie. He disclosed that Kapoor abstains from smoking, drinking alcohol, and eating meat. To mimic the vitality necessary for playing a cocaine addict, he made Kapoor drink copious amounts of black coffee instead.

He mentioned that Shahid had to exert considerable effort since he abstains from alcohol and drugs, follows a vegetarian diet, making him an extremely virtuous individual. Throughout the filming process, I provided him with numerous cups of strong coffee.

Additionally, the actor portraying Kabir Singh is a vegetarian. To convincingly play his role, he had to adhere to a stringent diet and consume less food since a struggling addict typically has no appetite for food. As director Chaubey put it, “He barely ate anything as I wanted him to appear like a drug addict. If you’re portraying a character like Tommy, your focus on food would diminish, leading to weight loss.

2016 saw the release of Udta Punjab, a film that was both critically acclaimed and financially successful. Despite being made on a modest budget, it ended up among the top-grossing movies of that year. The movie, set against the backdrop of Punjab’s drug problem, attracted a large audience with its compelling narrative. Starring Shahid Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor, and Diljit Dosanjh in lead roles, it proved to be a powerful cinematic experience.

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2025-01-03 19:08