AKIRA - 23 SEPTEMBER- UPDATES - Sonakshi Sinha - Page 4

What made you choose a film like Akira?
I believed it would challenge me as an actor. I'm a Gemini. I need to keep changing activities and do different stuff to remain interested in what I do. If it doesn't excite me on paper level then I don't even read it. This story genuinely excited me. There are a lot of shades to the character. Physically, it was very demanding. I had to train for it, learn Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) etc. It was emotionally draining too.

What all did you go through physically for this film?
I had to train for a month and a half. My trainer taught me how to get the body language right. I'm a fighter so I shouldn't look dainty or unrehearsed. The training was rigorous. For someone who was only working out at the gym at that time to switch to this was strenuous. My trainer would literally stretch me out every day until I screamed. It was extremely taxing. However, I felt better, stronger and fitter. I got toned. The pain was worth it.

Is it mind over matter?
Absolutely. If I was a weak person, then I wouldn't have been able to do it. You have to be strong. Anyone else would've quit.

Did you break down at any point?
I injured myself thrice. I busted my knee, I busted my ankle and I busted my wrist. And when the injury takes place, you feel really stupid.

Is the injury also worth it?
(Laughs) Never! I feel so dumb when I injure myself because it's so avoidable. The wrist injury happened when I wasn't even working. I was showing off a handstand. If I hadn't shown off, I wouldn't have hurt my wrist. My knee injury happened while shooting. I was doing some cable action and I landed in a bad position on my knee. That was scary. I thought my knee cap came off. Luckily, there was a physiotherapist on set. They made me sit down and they nursed it then and there. I was limping after that. Next day I came to work. There was an action scene to be shot. I was quite traumatised.

Thin bodies, heavily photoshopped faces... The media and the glamour industry is obsessed with body shaming. How do you address it as a celebrity?
It's absolutely shameful. Today if anybody has been targeted for being a certain way, it's me. But I don't let it get to me. I know what is more important is that I project a healthy body image for girls who look up to me. Tomorrow if I become skinny, what's the point? I won't be able to work well. I'll fall sick all the time. I know that's not my body structure,
not my body type. I've worked very hard to look the way I look today. I used to weigh 95 kilos. What more do you want from me?

Does it also affect the self-esteem of a person?
It affects the mind. It's not only the weight. When you're trying to be someone you're not, you are not being true to yourself. Why? For whom? For what? Is it worth it? No, it's not. Why do I need to be so thin? I'm not doing roles, which require me to look like that. I'm not wearing clothes that require me to be skinny. Why should I? You've always been indifferent to what people say... People have tried to make me feel like I'm doing something wrong. I'm not. I'm not going to be apologetic for something that is not wrong. Why should I? Yes, I believe in being fit and I'm fit. Today I can do a handstand. If only the media writes about it and it snowballs! People have no idea what impact it has on young girls today. We were promoting Tevar with Arjun Kapoor and these girls used to come up to me and say, "Sonakshi you are an inspiration to us. You really inspire us." Arjun (Kapoor) would wonder why girls were calling me an inspiration. It's because I make people believe that it's okay to be happy with who you are and how you are.

Can the Western culture and the fashion industry be blamed for it?
They can be to a certain extent. But now even the West is coming on track. They have included some non-photoshop clause in contracts and are saying no to skinny models. They are making an effort. Then why are we guys behaving like this in India? Kids come up and say I'm on diet' and I'm like what are you dieting for. I agree that you should be healthy and you should be fit. If you aspire to look a certain way, look that way. Nobody is stopping you but don't do unhealthy things to reach that. I will always project a healthy body image, no matter what people tell me, no matter what is being drilled in, what is being written and spoken about.

Has the body shaming issue affected you?
While growing up I was overweight. I used to get bullied in school and people used to call me all sorts of names. But I used to give it back and that has been my training ground. School prepared me how to handle bullies, how to handle people. I was a confident child but a lot of people are not. They cannot take it and get affected by it. But I didn't care. I didn't get affected, which has made me equipped for this. You have watched me in Dabangg, I was thin and still people picked on my weight!

Exactly!
People still said I looked fat. I realised people had gone mad and decided to not bother about what they are saying and continued working. I was 95 kilos at one point of time and that's not a joke. And from there to reach where I am is not easy either.

Iam glad Akira training helped her get a better self image!!🥳