After successive weight gain and loss programmes, Gehraiyaan actor Dhairya Karwa says injuries compelled him to go back to basics
Dhairya Karwa and trainer Sahil Rasheed; (right Uri and 83
Dhairya Karwa’s tall and lean frame often conceals the alterations he makes to his physique for films. However, in going from beef and bulky for Uri: The Surgical Strike, to lithe for 83, and subsequently Gehraiyaan, he admits his body took a beating. “For 83, apart from losing muscle mass, I also had to learn a new sport in cricket, and learn to bowl with the wrong hand,” says Karwa, who played the part of Ravi Shastri in the Kabir Khan-directed venture. Karwa indulged in the process of learning a different body language for the film, but, at the end of the process, his shoulder injuries had begun to obstruct his daily life.
“While casually indulging in a game one day, I felt something in my shoulder snap. On watching me, the physiotherapist instantly asked if I had been playing cricket. I could notice that my body was getting injured. Since the movements that I had subjected my shoulders to were unnatural, they were in bad shape. Because I had also lost a lot of weight, I had become prone to injuries. Even when I resumed training after the film, I would have to pause my routine again to film Gehraiyaan, in which I couldn’t sport an overtly muscular look. So, every transformation took a toll on the body. At the end of it all, I just wanted to be fit again. I wanted to not only look aesthetically [superior], but also be injury-free. I also wanted to achieve such a level of fitness that should any physically demanding role come my way, I would be capable of easily [moulding] myself.”
Sports played a vital role in Karwa’s life. He was accustomed to waking up early for basket ball sessions throughout his school and college life, and had maintained his physique during his time spent in modelling. Essentially, Karwa was familiar with the essentials of fitness training, and hence knew that in order to heal himself, he needed to “relay my foundation”.
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Having traced the journey of former swimmer Sahil Rasheed, Karwa knew whom he needed to turn to for aid. The fitness trainer says the brief given to him was two-fold. “To begin with, his shoulder injury was evident, and he wanted to get rid of it. Physiotherapist Dr Umran Sayed helped him get the therapy he needed. The idea was to return to the basics before we progressed. If he had trouble with his range of motion, I didn’t push him, because he needed to be pain-free. If he encountered a problem with a movement, we found alternatives.” Once Karwa began to make headway, the duo began to sprint.
His training methods underwent an overhaul, and Rasheed says he was burning at least 800 calories per session. “He’d train five times a week, and reserve one day for a deep tissue massage. That he could pull off supersets was indication that he was recovering well. In the first month, we worked on structural integrity and rehabilitation. Then we progressed to aerobic endurance and strength work. In the third month, we worked on power [movements], anaerobic endurance and conditioning. Since he has a high BMR, we wanted to ensure that he was eating well, so that his body was not eating into his muscle mass to derive energy for the workout.” The lesson that Karwa takes away from his sessions with Rasheed is that “there is no singular way to meet your goals, and no matter how strong your opinions of certain fitness-related matters may be, there’s room to be flexible.”
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