Aamir Khan's dedication to his craft is legendary, and his transformation for Dangal is a prime example of his commitment. To portray Mahavir Singh Phogat at different stages of life, the actor had to undergo a drastic physical transformation—from an overweight, ageing wrestler to a young, muscular athlete. Fitness trainer Rahul Bhatt, who worked closely with Aamir during this period, recently opened up about the actor’s unwavering discipline and mental strength, especially during challenging times.

Rahul Bhatt calls Aamir Khan mentally strong

Speaking to Hindi Rush, Rahul said, “Aamir is very driven, very ambitious, very good judge of human beings, very good observer. He believes in identifying the right man for the right job, and then letting him do his job.”

He also recalled a controversial moment during the Ludhiana shoot, when Aamir faced backlash over a statement regarding intolerance in India.

“We were shooting in Ludhiana, and then he had given a statement that ‘I feel unsafe…’ At that time, protestors had gathered outside the hotel and the locals had announced Rs 1 lakh prize money for the person who slapped Aamir. But he was focused and he was on a diet. He didn’t break his diet, he didn’t smoke, didn’t drink, he remained on course.”

Despite the tense environment, Aamir remained calm and centered, Rahul shared. “He said, ‘This will go on for a day or two and this shall pass.’ He was cool under pressure. He said, ‘I have seen this before.’”

He added, “I was standing there and there were BSF security people there. I was thinking he might go off his diet and eat ice creams or drink but nothing of that sort.”

Aamir Khan's transformation for Dangal

The transformation was not just mental but physical too. Aamir's training for Dangal was grueling and began in the early hours of the morning. “He used to be there at the gym at 4:15 am. Sometimes his bodyguard would wake me up in the morning and he would already be training, very motivated,” Rahul said.

On the transformation itself, Rahul revealed that Aamir reduced his body fat drastically. “He went from 39 percent body fat to 9 percent body fat. There was no restriction on water but there was a strict diet. He would take 2700 to 2200 calories a day.

Aamir had some reservations about following a high protein diet because of kidney issues. Aamir is a little particular but once you convince him, he listens. He gets many opinions and then he decides for himself.”

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