I’ve moulded myself into the roles I want: Shine Shetty

Shine S Shetty’s recent Instagram photos of his drastic physical transformation has left his fans in awe. The actor began his fitness journey in March 2023 and dropped 16 kilo over 11 months. “The decision to begin this journey wasn’t planned. I met a fitness trainer who had trained other actors. I visited his gym and we had a long chat when I realised that I hadn’t signed on to any projects that would kick off immediately. There wasn’t any better time to start this journey,” he elaborates.

As an actor, they have to change their bodies for different kinds of roles. But Shetty didn’t believe in waiting for the right opportunity to come knocking. Instead, the 32-year-old thought, “Why not change my body first so that I could chase the kind of roles I wanted?”

This approach worked for the Ondu Motteya Kathe (2017) actor, who reveals that several projects he is currently working on came his way due to the work he has been putting in. “Four months after I began, I was offered a film and I just got done filming for it. I did a cameo in Bachelor Party where they needed a young and fit-looking person,” Shetty says.

The Hostel Hudugaru Bekagiddare (2023) actor didn’t take any steroids or supplements, “which is why it took me a year to get here”. He adds, “This requires a lot of time and effort. You need to focus on a balance between your physical and mental health. It can get frustrating at times.”

While Shetty is all smiles and is glad that his decision to get fit has had a positive impact on his life and health, he reveals that there have been several challenges along the way, too. “You lose people along the way. Friends, who hang till midnight and eat whatever they want, they didn’t understand my journey because I didn’t show up to the parties [anymore]. A lot of people walked out of my life. I lead a very disciplined life now.”

However, he also found his true friends: “There are those who support you and will stay by you, especially when you are working on yourself. This process helped me realise who the best people in my life are, they are still around.”

Sharing some advise for people on their own fitness journey, the Kantara (2022) actor says, “All you need to get a positive result is discipline and the right coach to guide you. Lack in either can lead to an unhealthy way of transformation, which could have repercussions on health in the long run.”