Ready for spring training? Actor, model, and martial artist Vidyut Jammwal, who stars in this Friday’s Commando, is sharing his workout mix with Saavn listeners today! Check out Vidyut’s choice for Song of the Day and his handpicked gym tracks, Vidyut’s Workout Mix, only on Saavn. We also had a chance to talk body beautiful, movies, and music with the man himself. His message for us? “Workouts are a great way to start your day and starting it with my Saavn playlist is like icing on the cake… but for me every sound around me can make music… Commando releases on April 12. I would request all Saavn listeners to tune into the album on Saavn and catch the film at a theatre near you!”
Here’s the full transcript of our interview with Vidyut:
Vidyut, you kick ass (literally)! We’re so excited to have you as our celebrity guest editor. Thank you for sharing your picks with Saavn’s listeners today. What is your editorial choice for Saavn’s Song of the Day today, and why is this your pick?M
Saawan Bairi – what else? And for obvious reasons!
You’ve also acted in Tamil and Telugu films – we’re impressed! Do you have any favorite South songs that we can share with Saavn’s Tamil and Telugu listeners?
“Aapdi Pode”, “Google” from Thuppakki, and “Gangster” and “Idhayam” from Billa 2.
You’re in killer shape. Is music a motivator at the gym?
I don’t just workout in the gym, but, being a martial artist and a trained gymnast, I train every morning. Fitness has actually been a way of life for me ever since I can remember. I’ve been exposed to and have trained in various forms of physical activities from martial arts to free running and strength building since I was three years old. When in the gym, I sure do enjoy the peppy, energetic music that can be part of my workout tone.
Routine: I train every single day. In a week, I follow 5 days of martial art training and 2 days of weight training. The martial arts routine comprises of gymnastics, acrobatics, street stunts, and tricking. Weight training includes extensive lower body training, squats, lunges, calves along with upper body workout that includes roman rings, parallel bars, and push ups. I focus a lot on lower body workouts especially – legs and calves with squats and jumps. A lot of people who weight train tend to focus more of the upper body than the lower not realizing that the entire body needs to be strengthened for it to operate at its best.
Break time: Even though I train everyday, I don’t follow a strict set regimen. I follow what my heart and what my body says and do what I want to – be it gymnastics, martial arts, or weight training. The days I feel like my body needs a break, I do take one as well.
Meal plan: I don’t just have three meals. I eat at regular intervals. I’m a vegetarian and I eat as and when I feel hungry. I start my day with a litre of water followed by breakfast that comprises of white oats with muesli, fruits (especially kiwi), along with skimmed milk. Being a vegetarian, tofu for me is a large source of protein. I ensure I eat enough carbs, sugars, salts as well in the required amount as all of it is what the body needs. I believe in listening to my body as it’s the body that ultimately needs the energy to perform. Also, hydrating the body at regular intervals with enough water is also very important.
Who are your favorite recording artists/music directors, in any language?
I actually listen to tracks that span a wide range depending on my mood, from Hindi music by the likes of Vishal Shekhar, Amit Trivedi, Sneha Khanwalkar, along with tracks by Swedish House Mafia, Skrillex, Dead Mau, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Linkin Park to name just a few.
What does music mean to you?
I know this maybe quite an unexpected response but for me every sound around me can make music. It could be the consistent sound of the waves when I’m working out on the beach or even the sound of feet tapping when people around you are running on the park tracks. There is a pattern and a rhythm to every sound that surrounds you and that’s the start for every musical note and every track. Sometimes even an offbeat makes a beat, it’s just a matter of aligning yourself to it and flowing with it.
Tell us a little bit about the music of Commando. Which tracks should we have on repeat?
Commando‘s soundtrack has 4 songs, all quite distinct from each other. Lutt Jawan which is a peppy dance track which combines the beats of hip hop with a Punjabi flavour, Saawan Bairi which a soulful romantic song sung so beautifully by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan Sahab. That song has the ability of taking you into a whole other world and making you live in that eternal space. Then we have an item song Mungda featuring Nathalia Kaur and a fun and energetic Punjabi song Lena Dena sung by Daler Mehendi. Mannan Shah, our music director has done such a great job with the tracks and given that this is a high octane action film, a soundtrack like this seems very befitting.
Are there any other messages you’d like to share with Saavn’s listeners today?
Commando releases on April 12. I would request all Saavn listeners to tune into the album on Saavn and catch the film at a theatre near you!