‘He is behind my life’

Before: Varun Dhawan with father David; (right) After: David Dhawan

In a previous interview, Varun Dhawan had reportedly stated that for several years, he had been trying to put his father on a weight-loss programme, but had achieved little success. If his Instagram posts are testimony, the actor has finally had his way with the veteran director, and has helped him shave several kilos off his frame.

"When you lose weight, and look better, you want to lose more," says David Dhawan, jumping straight to the point. "In my case, you could notice [the weight-loss] from my face, and that felt good. I amended my regular habits, and specially took care of the food I ate. This is also necessary, given the things that we have seen in the last two years [amid the pandemic]. Once in a while, you can eat something wrong, but on most occasions, you need to be very careful of what you eat."

While diet plans are available a dime a dozen, Dhawan says he adhered to the basic weight-loss principles that have been often propagated. "Begin [the day] with a heavy breakfast, have either roti or rice [during lunch], and have a [light] dinner, perhaps comprising only the sabzi and daal."

Should he attempt to eat something that doesn't agree with his chart, Varun, he says, will up his guard. "He is after my life. My wife and kids don't let me eat anything wrong. If I try to do so, they will hit my hand and say it's not for me. They have really taken care of me." Dhawan advocates walking, and asserts that he has always been "very mobile", constantly making his way from one part of his lavish home to the other, or to a nearby club. "I avoid sitting in one place and am always walking."