Aditya Chopra Pushed Me to Transform; Extreme Fitness Led to Hormonal Imbalance: Tanishaa Mukerji

Tanishaa Mukerji has opened up about the intense physical transformation she underwent for the 2005 Bollywood film Neal 'n' Nikki, revealing that the demanding fitness regime eventually caused hormonal imbalance issues. Speaking during a recent interaction with Mamaraazzi, the actor reflected on the pressure she felt to completely reshape her appearance for the film and how the experience later affected her health.

Tanishaa, daughter of veteran actor Tanuja and sister of Bollywood star Kajol, recalled that filmmaker Aditya Chopra wanted her to look more toned for the role. She revealed that despite already working in films at the time, she was still asked to undergo a screen test and image evaluation for the project. According to Tanishaa, Chopra had earlier offered her career advice which she had not followed, but for this film she decided to trust his guidance fully.

Describing her first photo session for the movie, Tanishaa said she was told to lose her “love handles” and achieve a leaner appearance suitable for the character Nikki. She explained that the feedback pushed her to aggressively focus on fitness and body transformation. The actor admitted that she became extremely disciplined with workouts and diet plans in order to achieve what she described as the “ultimate goal” of fitting the character’s image requirements.

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However, the strict routine eventually began affecting her physical health. Tanishaa stated that once she discovered a diet and workout combination that delivered results, she followed it rigorously for a prolonged period. According to her, maintaining that lifestyle continuously led to hormonal imbalance problems. The actor acknowledged that while the transformation succeeded professionally, it became difficult to sustain physically and emotionally over time.

Directed by Arjun Sablok, Neal 'n' Nikki featured Tanishaa alongside Uday Chopra and was produced under the Yash Raj Films banner. Upon release in 2005, the film faced criticism from audiences and reviewers, though Tanishaa said she tried to approach the reactions objectively rather than personally. She explained that she revisited the film later to understand why viewers responded negatively and what could have been improved.

Looking back at the project years later, Tanishaa said she accepts audience criticism as a natural part of being an actor. While she felt satisfied with her performance at the time, she admitted there are scenes she would approach differently today with greater experience and maturity. Her comments have reignited conversations in the entertainment industry about body image pressures, demanding transformation expectations, and the physical toll such standards can place on actors working in cinema.

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