Forgotten Bollywood actor admits taking steroid for transformation to tackle skinny body criticism

Bollywood actor Imran Khan, who hasn’t been seen in any movie for a while, has recently gained attention on social media, leading to speculation about his potential return to the cinema. However, the producer and film for his comeback remain uncertain.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Belly star recently posted a shocking post on Instagram making a candid admission about using steroids, citing ridicule over his previously skinny physique as the reason. He said that boys of his age started hitting the gym and bulked but he remained skinny due to his hyper-metabolic body.

“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,”

“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 bodybuilding,” Imran was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.

I battled depression and stopped working out: Imran Khan

Imran’s decision to open up about his steroid use highlights the pressures and body image expectations prevalent in the entertainment industry, sparking important conversations about mental and physical health in showbiz. He explained how diet is equally important as sweating out in the gym. However, if the diet doesn’t work, one is led to use steroids which can ruin the body internally.

“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 said

“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 (sic). It could totally ruin the illusion.

In recent years, as I battled depression and stopped working out, I became skinnier than I’d ever been. When I was photographed, it sparked a media discussion about my well-being and speculations of drug abuse! I felt deeply ashamed and embarrassed to be seen by anyone in this state. So I retreated further (sic).” he added.