The adrenaline rush of action sequences may look effortless on screen, but for Priyanshu Painyuli, the behind-the-scenes reality involved physical strain, injury, and an eventual surgical intervention that changed everything.
“I was shooting for Paan Parda Zarda, which is an action series. The prep and shoot stretched over a long period. Naturally, you cut down on carbs, increase your protein intake. I had a fitness coach. But when you push for too long, it takes a toll and I had intense pain in my abdomen,” he shares.
The strain compounded when he began training for a period drama. “I was doing Mixed Martial Arts [MMA], horse riding, archery as I was playing a warrior. I think I stopped listening to my body. I wasn’t taking breaks, and then I crashed. My pain was unbearable and it turned out to be hernia. My doctor operated on what we thought was a single hernia, but during surgery, they found three more.”
Luckily, his team offered support and pushed the shoot schedule for three months for him to recover before he got back on the set. “I couldn’t lift anything. I had to be very careful. Coming back after surgery was a shock. It felt like life had paused. I didn’t even know how to rest. But slowly, I realised how deprived of it I had been. I was bedridden and couldn’t do basic chores.” The emotional impact was equally intense. “For the first week, I couldn’t even turn in bed. I was stuck on my back for two weeks. That’s when the mental frustration started. I couldn’t sit on a chair. My back and core took a hit. I had to work on it slowly.”
And that’s how he got back to yoga. “My trainer and yoga teacher helped me get back to basics. I had taken a break from yoga, but now I’m regular and I swear by it.” His relationship with fitness has changed. “I see health as a tool for longevity. Even 15 minutes of yoga can clear your mind, open up your body, and reset you.”
Reflecting on his recovery, the actor says, “Sometimes, we take our body for granted. We don’t give it the right food, or rest. Surgery taught me that rushing through life puts pressure on the body and mind, and that hinders recovery.”
The actor recently learned surfing in Sri Lanka, and is playing different sports. He tells us why, “I’ve started taking life less seriously. Why are we always stressing so much about everything?”
The Cheats Akshay Oberoi
What’s your cheat meal?
It’s usually pizza. That’s my go-to indulgence. Sometimes ice cream or fast food too. How often do you indulge?
I don’t follow a fixed schedule. There’s no set ‘Sunday cheat meal’. I go by how I feel, and balance it out over time.
Cheat meal or cheat day?
I don’t believe in either. I eat clean 99 per cent of the time, but once in a while, I’ll throw in something fun to keep it real.
Do you compensate later?
I don’t stress about it. If most of my meals are healthy and I’m consistent with my workouts and yoga, there’s no need to overcorrect.
Inside Anshula Kapoor`s Fridge
Green veggies
Seasonal fruits
Greek yoghurt
Overnight oats
Green chutney
Fitness tip that works For
Nargis Fakhri
Housefull 5 actor Nargis Fakhri recently spoke about her health and fitness and shared that she fasts for nine days, twice a year. During this period, she survives only on water.