Recently, a workout video of Sara Ali Khan and Malaika Arora began doing the rounds on social media. The ladies are sitting so firmly on thin air that you will almost imagine a chair into existence.
Khan and Arora are doing Pilates — the notoriously difficult workout routine invented in the early 1900s by a German fitness trainer.
The wonders of Pilates are such — good posture, graceful movements, flat abs, and obviously, a lean body — that it has travelled all the way from being a workout routine for World War prisoners of war to a favourite with B-town celebs.
Here are five actors who swear by this fitness routine:
1.). Alia Bhatt
Urban legend tells us that Alia was once plump. When we first saw her in Student of the Year though, she was anything but.
And one of the ingredients that went into the making of this diva was Pilates.
In fact, the actor frequently posts videos of her work-outs on Instagram. Watch her here as she undulates gracefully — and gasp in admiration. Or burn in envy.
2.). Deepika Padukone
Padukone has a beautifully toned, sporty body — yeah, because she worked for it.
Watch her execute a ‘swan dive’ here, which could make an actual swan question its diving abilities.
3.). Sonam Kapoor
Sonam Kapoor, too, was once allegedly plump (she alleged that herself). Now, she is lean and lovely, and this scary-looking machine with straps and ropes has a role to play in it.
Pilates depends on doing various small movements precisely, punishingly. Sonam, of course, manages to make it look easy and breezy.
4.). Katrina Kaif
Katrina Kaif has us all in awe of her midriff and the Baba Ramdev-esque things that she manages to do with it.
If your excuse for not working out is that you don’t have the required equipment at home, watch Kaif work wonders with a towel. (Then hide your face in a towel and cry).
5.). Varun Dhavan
Pilates is by no means a female frontier — Bollywood ‘heroes' too use it to be better prepared for their heroics.
Watch Varun Dhavan here, and then try to disagree with him when he says ‘Main Tera Hero’.