Shweta Tripathi on adopting a healthy lifestyle: Staying physically fit is crucial for the job

Having first adopted a regimented routine in 2020, Mirzapur actor Shweta Tripathi says upping her athletic levels helped her ace her gangster act and easily pull off 16-hour shoots

For as long as her memory supports her, Shweta Tripathi recalls her father often asking her two questions. “The first would be, ‘Which book are you reading?’ And the other, ‘Did you exercise today?’ Because I wouldn’t do both, I’d often get annoyed with the questions. Even when I shifted to Mumbai in my 20s, the questions he’d ask never changed. It’s only now that I understand their importance. The two most crucial things that you should focus on are your mental and physical fitness. They go hand in hand, after all,” says the actor, whose social media pages are now peppered with videos of her jumping atop boxes, lifting weights, and performing a range of balancing drills.

It wasn’t until the lockdown was imposed in 2020 that Tripathi, who achieved acclaim for her portrayal of a gangster in the series, Mirzapur, adopted a healthy lifestyle. Egged on by her actor-husband Chaitanya Sharma, she initially exercised at her building gym and subsequently turned to trainer Tridev Pandey when restrictions were lifted. “Tridev addresses your individual needs, which made training with him enjoyable. For the first time in my life, I look forward to the next class,” says the actor, who practises resistance training with Pandey, and yoga when he isn’t available. “I’m reaping the benefits of both forms because each is important and serves a different purpose.”

Shweta Tripathi 

The actor doesn’t deny that it was the requirements of her role that also served as the impetus to get fitter. “I wanted to have a particular body frame because I wanted this character to look like someone who had strength. If this girl was picking up a gun, I wanted her to look like she was physically capable of doing so. Every time I do an exercise rep at the gym, I feel [like I am doing justice to the character]. The way I walk and my entire body language are different, and I now exude confidence. Also, I’m not only serving the character. My stamina has improved, which is important because we shoot for 12 to 16 hours a day, and often in places where [weather conditions] are different. Staying physically fit is crucial for the job.”

For Tripathi, eliminating sugar from her diet wasn’t a tall ask, considering that the actor says she doesn’t have a sweet tooth. She is also favoured by her love for home-cooked meals, and often asks her contemporaries to send food to her set when she shoots near their residences. “The nutrition in home-made meals is unmatched. Packaged food is not something that appeals to me.”

The Cheats Nikita Dutta

What’s your cheat meal: 
It will have to be pizza or chaat.
How often do you indulge: 
I try to indulge about once every five to seven days.
Cheat meal Vs cheat day: 
I prefer to have a cheat day so that I can space out the food I want to relish.
Do you compensate for it: 
Yes, I compensate by walking more than I regularly do, and aim to get in 12,000 steps.

In Hasleen Kaur’s fridge

Cream 
cheese
Eggs
Milk
Bread
Chocolates

"Exciting news! Mid-day is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!