Ahan Shetty preps for Border 2 with intense fitness regime, inspired by dad Suniel Shetty

Suniel Shetty and Ahan Shetty. Pics/Yogen Shah, Instagram

Actor Ahan Shetty, son of Bollywood's fitness icon Suniel Shetty, is all set to step into the combat boots for Border 2, the sequel to the iconic 1997 film. At 29, Ahan is aware that comparisons to his father, who starred in the original, are inevitable. That's precisely why his preparation - both physical and mental - has been nothing short of disciplined.

"Fitness has been a lifelong journey for me," says Ahan. "Since I was a kid, I've been into sports - volleyball, football, cricket, swimming, and mixed martial arts. As I grew older, I transitioned to gym training to build muscle for films."

While he made his acting debut in 2021 with a romantic drama, Tadap, he now has a role of a lifetime that demands military grit. For this he has been pushing his limits. "I had put on quite a bit of weight for Sanki, which was Sajid [Nadiadwala] sir's film. So for the role that I'm playing in Border 2, I had to cut down around eight kilos," he reveals. "There are certain regimens that I'm following for my character like training in the gym, and keeping my cardio going. My training is going on full swing as I have to lose weight for it and maintain my muscle at the same time."

With his father, one of Bollywood's fittest stars, Ahan finds inspiration right at home as well as easy tips to follow. "He has been my inspiration in terms of fitness. He mainly gives me tips on my diet. He says my diet has to be on point. So I try and really focus on it, especially now that I am prepping for Border 2. I am watching my diet, training and recovery," he shares.

Ahan's fitness regime is intense. He trains six days a week in the gym and supplements it with mobility and stretching sessions twice a week. "I play football, and sometimes cricket too. So, I'm physically active every day."

The Cheats Sophie Choudry

What's your cheat meal?
A nice big Chinese lunch with dim sum, peking duck and pancakes, chilli prawns and spicy rice.

If at home, it's mum's biryani! Cheat meal vs cheat day?
Definitely cheat meal. Cheat so well once that you don't need to do it the whole day!

Do you compensate for it?
I prefer to do a cheat lunch. Then dinner automatically becomes very light, like a soup. And my meals are healthy anyway, so I just get back on track with that and a good workout.

Inside Pragya Kapoor's Fridge

Almond milk
Salmon
Chicken
Edamame
Avocado

Fitness tip thats works for Shilpa Shetty

"Try the ball drop challenge to test your core strength, shoulder stability, hand-eye co-ordination and reaction time," says Shilpa.