Abhishek Chaubey reveals Shahid Kapoor’s extreme dedication to “Udta Punjab” role, ‘He Hardly Ate Anything’

• The actor’s strict diet and reduced food intake were necessary to portray the character.
• The film, released in 2016, became a critical and commercial hit.
• The ensemble cast includes Shahid Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor, and Diljit Dosanjh.

“Udta Punjab” was one of the few films that provided an authentic insight into the world of drug addiction. Shahid Kapoor’s portrayal of Tommy Singh remains memorable, and recently, the film’s director, Abhishek Chaubey, shared the actor’s dedication to the role. Chaubey revealed that Shahid, being a vegetarian who doesn’t consume alcohol, drank a lot of coffee to get into character. He also ate less to lose weight for the role.

In a new interview with “Mashable India”, Abhishek Chaubey opened up about Shahid Kapoor’s hard work in portraying Tommy Singh in the film. He revealed that Kapoor doesn’t smoke, drink, or consume meat. As a result, Chaubey had the actor drink a lot of black coffee to replicate the energy needed to play a cocaine addict.

He said, “Shahid had to put in a lot of energy because he doesn’t drink, doesn’t do drugs, he is a vegetarian, ekdum sant aadmi hai. I made him drink a lot of black coffee during the entire shoot.”

At the same time, the “Kabir Singh” actor is a vegetarian. To transform into the character, he followed a strict diet and ate less because a struggling addict has no interest in food. “Moreover, he hardly ate anything because I needed him to look like a drug addict. If you’re playing a druggie like Tommy, you don’t have any interest in food, and you keep losing weight,” Chaubey explained.

“Udta Punjab”, released in 2016, became both a critical and commercial hit. Made on a small budget, the film went on to become one of the highest-grossing films of 2016. Its gripping storyline about Punjab’s drug crisis captivated audiences. The film featured an ensemble cast, including Shahid Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor, and Diljit Dosanjh.

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