Weight loss fad catching on in Bollywood

Mumbai, May 19 (IANS) Weight loss is not restricted to overweight celebrities any more. The fad is catching on among Bollywood stars like Kareena Kapoor, Ayesha Takia and veterans like Om Puri too.

For the last few weeks, Om Puri has been regularly visiting a health clinic.

'I had developed a paunch. When I saw myself in 'Don', I realised how hideous I was looking. I've been working on it. I've already lost about nine kilos, and I intend to knock off another nine in the next few months.'

So what's his formula?

'Diet mainly, but I'm also taking medical help. Five years ago I underwent a back surgery, the same one that Shah Rukh Khan did. After that, I rapidly gained weight. I needed to lose weight because it was affecting my knees.'

Actress Bipasha Basu, however, feels there's an unhealthy trend towards unchecked weight loss bordering on anorexia in the industry.

She said: 'I'm really concerned about all this unhealthy weight loss in our entertainment industry. For god's sake, don't starve yourself to stay in shape. It gives you a prematurely aged look. Eat, sleep and live well. And avoid getting obsessive about losing weight.'

Model-turned-actor Aryan Vaid, meanwhile, reveals that many actors acquire six-pack-abs artificially.

'Most of them doctor their abs to make them look perfect before the camera. There's a lot of colouring and contouring going on to make the abs look prominent on those midriffs. Very few actors have authentic six-abs. I do,' Vaid claims.

'Forget six-abs. Eight-abs are in,' says Dino Morea.

Bollywood's anti-binging squad is surely fighting to prove who's the slimmest of them all. May the best anorexic win!