Malayalam actors who gave us fitness goals in 2020

The year 2020 freed up the schedule for most actors with the lockdown suspending all work in the film industry, forcing themselves to be confined in the comfort of their homes. While the year provided a much-needed break from their back-to-back schedules for many actors, it also gave them time to work on their physiques and also keep themselves fit as a fiddle and ready to jump to work as soon as shooting resumed. Some of the Mollywood actors, however, decided to use the time to up their fitness levels - be it getting a six pack, acing several varieties of push-ups, perfecting kip-ups or bulking up for a totally different avatar than their fans are used to seeing.

Here are the top 10 Malayalam actors who gave us fitness goals this year amid the pandemic.

Prithviraj

He started this year, shedding a lot of pounds to play the character of Najeeb in Aadujeevitham. In fact, on the last day of bare body scenes shoot of the movie, Prithviraj wrote on his social media, that he had dangerously low fat body percentage and visceral fat levels. Post that phase, he has been resting, eating right and working out… and looks in the best shape of his life."Remember, the human body has its limits, the human mind doesn't," wrote Prithviraj. The superstar has been sharing his photos post workout online and the transformation has been remarkable and inspirational.

Photo: @therealprithvi/Instagram

Tovino Thomas

Tovino was busy working on his first superhero movie when the year started and had to flaunt a rippling physique for the movie. Considering that he is also keen on doing his own stunts for the film, the actor had also focused on a mix of cardio, plyometric and strength training. While many would have eased on the workouts when the lockdown was announced, Tovino hit an altogether different gear. In his home gym, the actor decided to learn new skills, follow a strict diet and push his body to the limits. "Muscle building isn’t the ultimate goal. I am learning new skills, I can now jump 3.8 ft high, do a headstand and am learning kip-ups and splits," he told us. His recent photos show that all that time in the gym is paying off and how!

Photo: @jomontjohn/Instagram

Mammootty

With just one post-workout photo, Mammootty broke the Internet. The 69-year-old megastar proved that he can still give the young actors a run for their money and what better way to throw down the gauntlet than to keep your fitness levels high. The actor, who has always been disciplined about his diet, spent an hour and half in the gym in the morning for six days a week. His trainer had revealed that Mammootty focused on cardio training for three days and weight training for the other three. He follows a low carb diet that includes oatmeal, seafood, chicken and eggs.

Photo: @mammootty/Instagram

Akshay Radhakrishnan

One of Akshay Radhakrishnan’s lockdown goals was to master six varieties of push-ups. After the lockdown was over, the actor decided to bulk up for his upcoming role and increased his weight from 70kg to 86kg in a span of three months. On his routine, he had told us, “I work out for an hour every day, sleep for eight hours and have food rich in proteins and carbohydrates five times a day. The eventual aim is to gain six packs, but the process starts with putting on weight. Now, I can feel that the abs are there underneath. About a week before the shoot, I will cut down on the carbs and that’s when the pack will start to show.” As far as his diet was concerned, the actor stuck to pazhamkanji, boiled potatoes without adding salt or spices, boiled eggs, sprouts, peanuts and a shake made out of milk, peanut butter and cashew nuts.

Photo: akshay_radhakrishnan/Instagram

Dulquer Salmaan

The best way to stay fit and motivated is to involve others too and that’s just what Dulquer did with his Training Done challenge. The actor kept sharing his post workout selfies on his Instagram with the hashtag ‘TrainingDone’ and this inspired several other actors from across industries to follow suit. Aditi Rao Hydari, Rana Daggubati, Anupama Parameswaran, DJ Sekhar Menon and Shaani Shaki were some of the celebs to take up the actor’s challenge and consistently workout even while the lockdown was extended. Dulquer, meanwhile, didn’t end the habit even after the lockdown restrictions were lifted and he resumed work. The actor kept hitting the gym, looking as fit as ever.

Photo: @dulquersalmaan/Instagram

Kalidas Jayaram

For Kalidas, it's been a year that has seen him in various avatars. Earlier this year, he posted a picture of him all bulked up. The actor, who seems to have gained muscle mass and has been working real hard, put up a post saying, “Stay fit while you're stuck at home. Physical activity and relaxation techniques can be valuable tools to help you remain calm and continue to protect your health during this time stayhome #socialdistancing (sic).” Considering his dad Jayaram too has been working hard in the gym, Kalidas need not look any further for inspiration. The actor meanwhile also lost weight in the same year to play some of his more acclaimed characters.

Photo: @kalidas_jayaram/Instagram

Kunchacko Boban

Kunchacko became addicted to fitness last year and he sure wasn't letting the pandemic lockdown put an end to it. Even while shooting for Naayaattu in the hills earlier in the year, the actor had been running up the slopes and he swapped that for the stairs of his apartment complex during the lockdown. He also kept his badminton and cricket skills sharp, practising whenever he could. His latest reveal about recovering from ligament tear and shoulder injuries that had been plaguing him for years and now being able to do more than 20 pushups on the trot and play all his favourite games, gave many fitness goals. "When the excruciating pain makes you stronger and when the tears make way to smiles… reinvent yourself, rejuvenate & revive," wrote the actor.

Photo: @kunchacks/Instagram

Mohanlal

Not to be outdone by his fellow superstar Mammootty, Mohanlal too upped his fitness game this year, especially after the lockdown restrictions were eased. The actor looked his slimmest in the last few years when he joined the shoot of Drishyam 2. Mohanlal also didn't miss his annual Ayurveda treatment to ensure that his immunity levels are up and he was all rejuvenated as he started shooting for Aaraattu. In fact, the actor's energy levels also astonished those who worked with him various photoshoots and films this year.

Photo: @bennet_m_varghese/Instagram

Riyaz Khan

The actor might have celebrated his 50th birthday in September 2020, and he welcomed with bulging biceps and maybe even an eight-pack abs that surely would make some of the younger actors go green. Riyaz, who reportedly has upped the ante for his upcoming movies, is all muscles based on the videos and photos he has been sharing online. And the secret is that he has not missed those workouts and follows a disciplined lifestyle. It’s hard to argue if there’s another actor with a better physique in the film industry right now. He has also been helping his wife with workouts, training her and setting new couple goals in the process!

Photo: Riyaz Khan/Facebook

Vivek Gopan

The lockdown posed a huge challenge for fitness freak and TV actor Vivek Gopan, who due to the closure of gyms could not workout. However, he more than made up for it as soon as the lockdown rules were relaxed in the State and gyms reopened. Vivek followed a healthy diet and lost any weight he had gained during the lockdown to get back to his usual rippling physique. Vivek, meanwhile, also shared his outlook on how people are going to make fitness a priority in the post-pandemic era. “I think fitness will be a priority more so than ever. Based on how things are turning out due to the pandemic, depression could be on the rise. Working out – be it even a bit of cardio or yoga – will give people a feeling of accomplishment during the day and keep their mind and body healthy. So, gyms will become a necessary part of life going forward and to develop them, you will need to keep them open 24 hours, like in the West,” he told us.

Photo: @vivekgopan/Instagram