Jaideep Ahlawat lost 25 kgs in 5 months for 'Maharaj', shares pictures of jaw-dropping transformation

Jaideep Ahlawat

Trust Jaideep Ahlawat to get deep into the skin of his onscreen characters and put up a convincing act. After being almost unrecognisable in Jaane Jaan, Jaideep once again transformed himself physically to play the role an immoral religious leader in the recently released film 'Maharaj'. For the role, Jaideep had to undergone physical transformation which included major weight loss.

Taking to Instagram, Jaideep shared pictures of his transformation journey. In the pictures shared by the actor, he can be seen comparing his before and after look. In the before pictures, he looked unhealthy with a pot belly. In the after pictures, he can be seen with a chiselled body. Sharing the pictures, he wrote, "From 109.7 Kg. to 83 Kg. in 5 month. That's the Physical Transformation for the Role of Maharaj."

Ahlawat revealed the initial doubts he had about taking on the character, admitting, "In the beginning, I thought that this is a very difficult character. It is not going to be easy to handle. I told my brother that I don't think I can do this," he told ANI.

The turning point for Jaideep came after a meeting with the film's director, where he was reassured by the strong vision and compelling narrative presented. "The way he narrated Maharaj, I was like, yes, I should do this."

"It was successful because I believed in the writing and my director," Jaideep said, highlighting the collaborative effort behind his performance.

During the lockdown, Jaideep dedicated himself to intense physical training. He revealed that he had to get back into shape as he weighed around 104 kgs before preparing for this role.

"So, for almost 5.5 months of intense physical training, because of what JJ is visible on the screen, my trainer, worked very hard on me. We did 3-4 times workouts a day," he recounted, emphasizing the significant transformation he underwent for the role.

Jaideep also touched on the broader team effort, stating, "So credit goes to everybody. I'm just an instrument for transforming all those energies created by these people."

The film, set during the 1862 Maharaj Libel Case, faced a temporary setback on its release due to a legal stay by the Gujarat High Court, which was lifted earlier on Friday.

Following this, Yash Raj Films (YRF) expressed gratitude through an official Instagram post, stating, "We are grateful to the judiciary for allowing the release of Maharaj, a film that celebrates one of the most important social reformers of our country, Karsandas Mulji."

The statement emphasized YRF's longstanding tradition of honouring Indian culture and heritage.

Directed by Sidharth P Malhotra and produced by YRF Entertainment, 'Maharaj' features Junaid Khan, in his debut role, alongside Jaideep Ahlawat and Shalini Pandey, with a special appearance by Sharvari. The film is based on true events from pre-independence India and highlights the courage of Karsandas Mulji, a social reformer who challenged the status quo in a landmark legal battle.