Prithviraj Sukumaran Recalls Fasting Up To 72 Hours For His Role In 'The Goat Life'

Prithviraj Sukumaran said he shed 31 kg in order to get the appearance he wanted for 'Aadujeevitham'.

New Delhi: Prithviraj Sukumaran reveals the extreme lengths he went to for his role in the upcoming film ‘Aadujeevitham’ or ‘The Goat Life’, confessing to fasting for up to 72 hours to achieve the desired transformation. The actor shared insights into the gruelling process during a recent interview, shedding light on the toll it took on his body, especially amidst the disruptions caused by the pandemic-induced shoot halts. For the unversed, the movie was in production when the pandemic struck and the team spent 70 days in the Jordan desert from March to May 2020 because of the limits imposed during that time.

In an interaction with Hindustan Times, Prithviraj explained that his character's appearance necessitated a depiction of starvation, which led him to adopt a drastic fasting regimen. 

The actor elaborated, “The idea was that I looked like somebody who does not have access to enough food and was starving most of the time. The only way I could do that is to actually adopt that process, which means that my transformation was almost entirely based on fasting. At times, I used to fast for up to 72 hours. I would drink water and black coffee, but nothing else.”

Acknowledging the mental and physical challenges posed by such rigorous fasting, Prithviraj talked about the struggle to resist the urge to eat, especially after the second day of fasting. Despite the difficulty, he managed to shed a staggering 31 kilograms, underscoring the intensity of his commitment to the role.

‘Aadujeevitham’ portrays the harrowing journey of a Kerala worker turned slave in the Middle East, subjected to harsh conditions as a desert shepherd. The film is set to hit theatres worldwide on March 28.