‘I was told heroines look bigger than you…’: Imran Khan reveals he took steroids to bulk up

The actor also said that in recent years, as he battled depression and stopped working out, he became skinnier.

Mumbai: Imran Khan, who has been away from films for almost 8 years, is now back in the spotlight, courtesy of his candid Instagram posts.

On Friday, he shared his throwback pictures on Instagram and made some revelations. He opened up about talking steroids to bulk up as he thought he was often criticised for his skinny body.

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“I’m one of those hyper-metabolic people, my body just burns through whatever I consume. Oh no, what a terrible affliction! In my late teens, guys around me started joining gyms and working out. They started to expand, their biceps stretching the sleeves of their t-shirts. I wore a size S, and my sleeves were still loose,” he said about his body type.

“I didn’t need to be muscular to play Jai Singh Rathore (his character in Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Naa)… but I was convinced that I was too skinny, which is why Jai mostly wears two layers of clothing throughout Jaane Tu. For my next film, Kidnap, I hit the gym in earnest, and began my journey with body building,” he revealed.

He further recalled how people used to pass nasty comments at him as he was skinny. “Over the next few years, the sculpting and maintenance of my body became part of my lifestyle. I worked out regularly, but still I would hear ‘So… you’ll bulk up a bit before we start shooting, right?’; ‘You’re looking weak’, ‘You look like a little boy, not a man’, and ‘The heroine looks bigger than you’ (ouch for both of us),” he added.

Opening up about taking steroids to bulk up, Imran shared, “Exercise means nothing without nutrition; 6 meals a day, totalling 4000 calories. Chicken breast, egg whites, sweet potato, oats, flax seeds… all good stuff, but still not enough to make my biceps look like the heroes I saw onscreen. No, for that I needed to supplement with whey protein, creatine, leucine, glutamine, L-carnitine… and ultimately, even anabolic steroids. Shock and horror! We’re not supposed to admit that part out loud, it could totally ruin the illusion.”

The actor also said that in recent years, as he battled depression and stopped working out, he became skinnier. “When I was photographed, it sparked a media discussion about my wellbeing, and speculations of drug abuse! I felt deeply ashamed, embarrassed to be seen by anyone in this state. So I retreated further. It’s been an uphill journey, but these days I’m doing better than ever; I exercise with my old friend who puts my health first and only feeds me supplements like walnuts and turmeric… seriously. And while I’m still a tad jealous of those dudes with superhero muscles… I don’t feel bad about myself,” Imran concluded.

Imran’s post has garnered several reactions. “more power to you, sir. your posts feel like a warm hug to me, really. thankyou for being so vulnerable with us, thankyou for being you,” a social media user commented.

“As someone who’s skinny, hypermetabolic and wants to gain weight and be muscular for her profession, I feel so seen. I’ve been constantly told that I look sickly, and after a point, concern turns into ignorance. Thank you for sharing your story with us 🙂 I hope I get to achieve a state where I feel healthy as well. Sending you lots of love,” another Instagram user wrote.

Imran made his foray into acting with the hit film ‘Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na’ in 2008. After featuring in films like ‘Kidnap, ‘Luck’, ‘Delhi Belly’, ‘Mere Brother Ki Dulhan’, ‘Ekk Main Aur Ekk Tu’, ‘Break ke Baad’, ‘Once Upon A Time in Mumbai Dobaara’, and ‘I Hate Love Storys’ among others, Imran disappeared from the public eye and quit acting. His last release was Katti Batti in 2015.