Tanishaa Mukerji, daughter of veteran actor Tanuja and sister of Bollywood star Kajol, recently opened up about the intense physical transformation she underwent for Neal ‘n’ Nikki and the health issues that followed. The actress, who starred opposite Uday Chopra in the 2005 film produced by Yash Raj Films, revealed that producer Aditya Chopra had asked her to get toned for the role. However, the strict routine she followed later resulted in a hormonal imbalance.‘You need to be toned’In a conversation with Mamaraazzi, Tanishaa recalled being called in for a screen test for the film despite already having done a few projects by then. She shared that Aditya Chopra had earlier given her career advice which she had not followed, but this time she decided to trust him completely.Tanishaa revealed that during her first photoshoot for the film, Aditya was not happy with her appearance and told her that the role required a fitter physique.“My first photo session for Neal ‘n’ Nikki, I had all these love handles and he was like, ‘No, you can’t look like this. You need to be toned.’ After that first photo session, I just went crazy and I transformed my body because I was so focused on reaching that ultimate goal and then he was like, ‘Yes, this is Nikki’,” she recalled.‘I ended up having a hormonal imbalance’The actress further shared that she became extremely disciplined with her diet and fitness routine while trying to maintain the look required for the film.Recalling the phase, she said that once she found the right balance between diet and exercise, she followed it rigorously. However, she admitted that maintaining such strict routines for long periods can negatively affect the body.“If you try to keep it, you would have a hormonal imbalance, which is what happened to me,” Tanishaa said.Tanishaa on criticism faced by Neal ’n’ NikkiDirected by Arjun Sablok, Neal ’n’ Nikki received severe criticism upon its release in 2005. Looking back, Tanishaa said she tried to understand the criticism positively rather than take it personally.“Because I was like, ‘Why did the audience feel like this?’ I went back and I saw the film. I am very objective about myself,” she shared.The actress added that while she was satisfied with her performance at the time, she now feels certain scenes could have been performed better.“The audience has every right to criticise,” she said.‘Film is a director’s medium’Speaking about the film’s reception, Tanishaa also reflected on how she views cinema as primarily a director’s medium rather than an actor’s medium.“An actor will only push themselves as far as the director will allow them. An actor will only do what a director demands of them. The actor has limitations,” she explained.She further added, “It is up to the director to transform the scene with the camera, lighting… You have so many things that you can use. Every actor has their limitations, it is about the director using that to their advantage.”
