MUMBAI: It’s not just lead actors and actresses who are being asked to put on or lose weight for their roles. Ranvir Shorey had to add to his inches post the release of Singh is King for his role in Rajat Kapoor’s Rectangular Love Story.

Ranvir says, "I was told to put on weight and so I indulged myself in everything. But now I am having a tough time trying to lose it. It’s back to hitting the gym and cutting out on all my favourite foods."

Top brass actors like Abhishek Bachchan and Kareena Kapoor have also been a victim of this trend. Abhishek, who was on a diet of rasogullas, to add to his bulk for Mani Ratnam’s Yuva and Guru, is now surviving on idlis and sambar for his role in Ratnam’s latest Ravana. Bachchan conforms, "Yes I have had to lose weight for Ravana. Mani sir first tells me to put on weight for one film and then lose it for another. But since the roles are substantial, it’s worth it."

Yash Raj Films make their heroines sign on contracts which state what should be the weight of the actress for a particular scene. Aishwarya Rai had to be 54 kgs for her Dhoom 2 bikini shot and so did Kareena. Ash had said, "I have never had to hit the gym and go on a diet for any film, apart from Dhoom 2."

Kareena’s tale of collapsing on the sets of Tashan in Greece after drinking just orange juice for her bikini scene, grabbed enough headlines. But the trend is now stretching to character actors too. Well, the audience is not complaining, as they get to see their actors not just in varied roles but also in various shapes and sizes.