In a recent interview, Ravi Udyawar, the director of the highly anticipated action thriller ‘Yudhra’, shared insights into the remarkable physical transformation that Siddhant Chaturvedi had to undergo for his role in the film.
Udyawar revealed that Siddhant went through a significant weight fluctuation to portray the character of Yudhra, a journey that demanded significant dedication and hard work.
“Yes, he lost a lot of weight to be that young cadet. Towards the end, he gained a lot of weight. His face was rugged and you can see the transformation. If you look at the trailer, he prepared himself doing martial arts and physically bulked up,” the director revealed. “I told him yes, it’s very important that he prepares mentally too. That’s the Yudhra that stands in the fight,” Udyawar said. Adding to the point about Siddhant’s transformation, he continued, “So I can say that he lost around 20 kgs. I can’t tell you the exact weight, I’ll ask Siddhanth and let you know. His trainer did everything meticulously,” highlighting the precision and effort put into achieving the desired look for the character.
When asked about whether Siddhant had to train for martial arts, Udyawar said, “Yes, he was doing a lot of things. His trainer worked meticulously with him, incorporating jiu-jitsu and other martial arts forms, including Animal Flow. He also trained throughout the pandemic, setting up a makeshift gym at home since gyms were closed.” Commending Siddhant’s commitment to his craft, Udyawar added, “He is a hardworking guy. I mean, he had to train himself. I wanted the action to be real. I wanted him to be careful about his safety. I wanted him to be realistic and hand-to-hand. That’s what I wanted him to do. So, I trained him.”
Yudhra, releasing in theatres on September 20, is directed by Ravi Udyawar and written by Farhan Akhtar and Sridhar Raghavan, promising to be an action-packed cinematic experience, with Siddhant Chaturvedi and Malavika Mohanan taking on the lead roles. Siddhant portrays the intense and revenge-driven Yudhra, while Malavika’s character Nikhat brings depth and emotion, adding a strong emotional anchor to the story. Produced by Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar under the banner of Excel Entertainment, Yudhra also features a stellar supporting cast, including Gajraj Rao, Ram Kapoor, Raj Arjun, and Raghav Juyal.