A day in the life of Parambrata Chatterjee, in pictures

Parambrata Chatterjee is a busy man. You can see his eyes and tell that he has been shooting till late last night.He comes out of his room in a pair of shorts and squeaky white tee and graces us. “I'll join you in five minutes," he says. As he saddled low on a window-side couch to chat with us, a breakfast platter of brown bread, two egg whites, a bowlful of cereals and watermelons is neatly laid out.

“I have no time to enter the kitchen. But I can make amazing egg curry and some chicken," he tells us. Ahead of his release, Roga Howar Shohoj Upaye, a breezy romcom directed by Debaloy Bhattacharya and produced by Shree Venkatesh Films, the actor speaks to us about his love for cooking, his fitness regime and how forgetting the taste of rolls, aerated beverages and cheap alcohol has worked in his favour.

I normally take a glass of lukewarm water with honey and a dash of lemon in the morning before breakfast. It helps flush the toxins from my body. I started working out regularly in 2011. The first day at the gym was exciting.The following day, however, I could not stand on my feet! My ligaments were frozen. I called up my doctor and he asked me to drag myself to his chamber somehow. Now, I work out diligently six days a week. If I skip exercises one day, it shows on my face.

Back when I was studying in Bristol, I had to cook to survive.I had no idea things were so expensive there! I got recipes from Kolkata and started to cook! I believe I can cook moderately well, so getting in the skin of the character in Roga Howar Shohoj Upaye wasn't all that difficult. My egg curry and a certain chicken dish, I have been told, are pretty good! I stay away from greasy food and red meat. On cheat days, however, I gorge on luchi, chicken and sweets. I jog even when I'm shoot ing outstation. During Baastusaap's Kurseong leg of shooting, I'd go out to jog every morning. Abir too, who's a little lazy when it comes to working out, joined me after few days!

In Chotushkone, my pot belly was prosthetic. I didn't have enough time to gain weight and sport a belly. I would probably gain weight for a role, albeit against my will, if given enough time. My weight fluctuates between 4-5 kgs. Till 30, I could do away with eating just about anything.From greasy roadside food to oily stuffs at home to inexpensive alcohol. But once I turned 30, things took a turn. My cheeks would look fluff and my belly would show. I called up my doctor to ask what was going on. He told me nonchalantly, “There's a thing called BMR. As you age, the Basal Metabolic Rate dips and you can no longer pass off with eating anything and everything."I took the cue and never looked back!