...
...
Next Story

Tanishaa Mukerji reveals Aditya Chopra asked her to lose ‘love handles’ for Neal 'n' Nikki: ‘Led to hormonal imbalance’

Recently, Tanishaa Mukerji revealed that Aditya Chopra had asked her to undergo a major body transformation for the film, Neal ‘n’ Nikki.

Published on: May 9, 2026, 09:07:17 IST
Advertisement

Actor Tanishaa Mukerji recently opened up about the intense physical transformation she underwent for Neal 'n' Nikki, revealing that filmmaker Aditya Chopra had pointed out her “love handles” and asked her to tone her body for the role. The actor shared that she then followed a strict fitness and diet routine to achieve the desired look, but the demanding regimen eventually resulted in a hormonal imbalance.

Tanishaa gets candid

Neal 'n' Nikki also featured Uday Chopra.
Neal 'n' Nikki also featured Uday Chopra.

Recently, Tanishaa looked back at working on Neal ‘n’ Nikki during a conversation with Mamaraazzi. She revealed that Aditya Chopra had asked her to undergo a major body transformation for the role, and the intense diet and workout routine eventually led to a hormonal imbalance.

During the conversation, Tanishaa mentioned that Aditya Chopra had called her in for a screen test for the film. She confessed that he had earlier given her career advice, which she did not follow at the time, but during this project, she promised to follow his guidance “blindly.”

Tanishaa shared that during the film’s first photoshoot, Aditya pointed out that the role required her to have a toned physique, following which she immediately began working on her transformation.

Speaking about her fitness regimen at that time, Tanishaa said she focused on maintaining the right balance between exercise and diet, and once she figured out a routine that suited her, she stuck to it with complete discipline.

However, she pointed out that any kind of strict routine for the body cannot be followed for a long time, because “if you try to keep it, you would have a hormonal imbalance, which is what happened to me.”

Neal 'n' Nikki was a romantic comedy directed by Arjun Sablok, starring Uday Chopra and Tanishaa Mukerji in the lead roles, and Abhishek Bachchan in a special appearance. It was produced by Yash Chopra under the banner Yash Raj Films and was released on December 9, 2005 amid mixed to negative reviews. It did not do well commercially either.

The actor also spoke about the negative feedback, saying she did not take the criticism to heart and tried to understand it in a “positive way.”

About Tanishaa's career

Tanishaa, daughter of Tanuja, made her grand Bollywood debut with Sssshhh in 2003 opposite Karan Nath and Dino Morea. The film, however, failed at the box office. She went on to star in Sarkar, Neal ’n’ Nikki, and the Tamil hit Unnale Unnale, which earned her a Vijay Award nomination. She gained massive public attention in 2013 as the first runner-up on Bigg Boss 7, where her relationship with Armaan Kohli became a hot topic. She went on to participate in Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi 7 (2016) and was also seen as a contestant on Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 11. She later appeared as a judge on the comedy show Gangs of Haseepur. Tanishaa was last seen in the 2024 film Luv You Shankar

 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sugandha Rawal

Sugandha Rawal has been writing about entertainment and lifestyle for over 13 years, and if there's one thing that's kept her going, it's a genuine love for storytelling. She completed her graduation in Journalism from the University of Delhi and went on to earn her Master of Media from IP University. Beginning her career in the fast-paced environment of news wire reporting, she learned the art of accuracy, speed, and storytelling under pressure. She later expanded her horizons in print journalism, where she honed her feature-writing skills and developed a keen eye for detail and narrative depth. These days, she's firmly rooted in digital journalism, adapting and evolving with a media landscape that never sits still. Over the years, Sugandha has covered everything from Bollywood and celebrity culture to wellness trends and lifestyle shifts. She enjoys spotting the drama behind headlines, the emotion behind interviews, and the details that others might miss. When she is not chasing the latest entertainment update or lifestyle trend, you will find her observing the cultural shifts that shape the stories we consume every day.

Catch every big hit, every wicket with Crickit, a one stop destination for Live Scores, Match Stats, Infographics & much more. Explore now!.

Get more updates from Bollywood, Taylor Swift, Hollywood, Music and Web Series along with Latest Entertainment News at Hindustan Times.
Catch every big hit, every wicket with Crickit, a one stop destination for Live Scores, Match Stats, Infographics & much more. Explore now!.

Get more updates from Bollywood, Taylor Swift, Hollywood, Music and Web Series along with Latest Entertainment News at Hindustan Times.
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Hindustantimes wants to start sending you push notifications. Click allow to subscribe