Ram Kapoor Opens Up About His Most Talked About Fitness Journey: Exclusive

Ram Kapoor, who surprised everybody with his major weight loss transformation, speaks to Jayveer Singh exclusively about his fitness journey, his experience playing Arman Suryavanshi, and more. In this conversation, he also talks about his thoughts on TV, his opinion on the 8-hour shift debate, and shares finance wisdom for the audience to manage their money well.

Excerpts...

You have a legacy attached to your name from TV to films to series. How do you look back at your journey?

I don't look back or look ahead too often. I'm the kind of person who tries to focus on the now, whatever I am or whatever I have done. I'm just very lucky and very blessed. Talent is very important, but once you've proved yourself in the industry, it's not about talent anymore. It's about professionalism, positive attitude, and being fun to work with.

Photo Credit: Instagram

When you heard about your role in the Hindi version of 'Monk', what was that one thing that clicked and you were like, "I want to do this job"?

I was a big fan of 'Monk'. When I saw the character, I fell in love with it because it's a very complicated character. He's brilliant but also childlike, which is very different. When they came to me for this project, it was like a dream coming true because I had been wanting to do this for 20 years.

Did you make any preparations for the role? What was your thought process?

Yes, I met with doctors who deal with OCD and saw many videos of patients who go through it. Every case is unique, and I already knew what the character was about from watching the original series. I built the character from within myself, and it's fun to play such a complex role.

Do you have any traits of Arman Suryavanshi in your personal life?

Yes, many traits. As an actor, I build characters from within myself, so there are similarities between me and my characters. I like to observe details, and sometimes I get particular about things, which is something I've enhanced for the character.

You've been part of all the media - TV, films, OTT. Do you think OTT is the future?

Yes, OTT is definitely the future, but that doesn't mean other media will fade away. Each medium has its place, and OTT is different because it's a solo activity. I don't think it will diminish the importance of theater or films.

Photo Credit: Instagram

When is Ram Kapoor coming back to TV?

It's difficult for me to come back to TV now because I've grown a lot since then, and TV has changed too. If I do TV, it will take over my entire life, and I won't be able to do other projects. I'm happy doing films and OTT now.

There's been a debate about 8-hour shifts for actors. How do you see the scenario?

I relate to the actors who are demanding 8-hour shifts because I know how it feels to work insane hours. However, I don't have the right to complain because I'm in a position where I can choose my projects and work at my own pace.

Give a finance tip to our audience.

If you're lucky enough to make money, you need to know what to do with it. Invest wisely, and your money will work for you. Whether you have a large or small amount of capital, if invested correctly, it can double every 3-5 years.

You've had your share of controversies. How do you look at criticism or negative press?

I don't make things a big deal. Whatever happens, it's a choice we make. I handled the situation in the right way, and it's not a big deal for me. I learned from it, and it's made me grow as a person. I'm happy that people still liked my work despite everything.

 In a recent interview, you opened up about your fitness journey. You mentioned that the doctor told you that if you continue your unhealthy lifestyle, anything could happen. So that was the reason for this fitness transformation. Can you tell us more about that?

Yes, the doctor told me that if I continued my unhealthy lifestyle, anything could happen. I was 140 kilos, my sugars were out of control, my blood pressure was high, and I was working nonstop. After that, I had a bad accident where I had to get stage three surgery and 9 months of rehabilitation. That's when my fitness journey started, and I had to get into weightlifting and strength training for my shoulder. Now, I'm addicted to strength training, but it started because of my shoulder.