It’s safe to say Bobby Deol is back with a bang. He’s just given a blockbuster hit with Race 3, put up a spectacular performance at IIFA and has some interesting films up his sleeve. But what’s got people talking is the actor’s awe-inspiring body transformation that he had to go through for Race 3. I cannot be the only one who noticed that it wasn’t just Salman Khan who was shirtless in the movie. Bobby revealed that at his age he had to work hard for what we saw on screen in a candid interview with Mid-Day. The actor admits that from being someone who didn’t really give working out much thought, he’s become obsessed about it.

Many a times, I’ve called my trainer at 5 am. After Race 3 things have changed. Now, unless I’ve trained, I find myself thinking about my impending workout, all day long.

He also revealed that his transformation was all thanks to traditional methods of weight training and his trainer Rakesh Udiyar.

It’s because of the traditional methods of training that I believe in, that I think, weight training has brought about a significant change in me. Also, I have Rakesh to thank. I’ve trained with many coaches, including [Varun Dhawan’s trainer] Prashant Sawant, but when Salman asked me if I’d like to train with his trainer, I was game. I mean, look at Salman!

Friendly side note that Rakesh was also Aamir Khan‘s trainer for Dangal.

While it could have been difficult to get into such amazing shape at 49, Bobby says it wasn’t all that bad. Turns out the actor is not easily lured by food! He revealed that he was mostly vegetarian but started consuming protein-rich non-vegetarian food only because his trainer insisted. This he says was necessary because he was training hard and needed to build muscle for Race 3.

The actor admitted that he was against drinking protein shakes too. It was not until he was told that they were mere meal replacements that he started consuming them. Looks like the actor was super excited to find out that protein shakes come in different flavours. I mean, who wouldn’t be?

You get them in cookie-cream flavour, and you can add peanut butter too. Who knew you could enjoy peanut butter when on a diet?

He said that he wasn’t going to let all the effort he had put into his body for Race 3 go to waste and he was aware how tough it was to maintain the body he’s got now. But he admitted that the results he sees in the mirror is what motivates him to keep at it!

Heading to the gym takes a lot, but once you start seeing results, you’re instantly motivated. You have to start liking what you see in the mirror. I sense that people look at me differently. If my body reacts to training this way now, I wonder how it would have been, had I trained well in my 20s. I’d probably have had the best physique in Bollywood.

I’m so glad Bobby is back and I’m sure more than half of the 90s kids would agree with me!