Had to shed 23 kgs for 'Daveed' climax shoot! Real respect to those like Unni Mukundan: Pepe

Antony Varghese aka Pepe, who debuted in Lijo Jose Pellissery’s action-adventure Angamaly Diaries, has since turned into a bonafide action star in Malayalam cinema. He has lived up to his reputation through stunning works including Ajagajantharam and RDX.

After his 2024 release Kondal, Pepe is now set to return to the big screen with the pulsating flick Daveed, a movie based on boxing. Directed by Govind Vishnu, the film promises to be a spectacle.

In a recent interview with Movie World Media, Antony, who secured a professional boxing license for the movie (becoming the first Indian actor to do so), shared insights into the intense preparation he underwent for his role. "It was a tough journey. But eventually, the film became a part of my life. My character's name is Aashiq Abu—a quintessentially lazy man. In reality, I am quite similar, so getting into the character wasn't difficult. The real challenge was boxing," he admitted.

Antony revealed that he underwent a drastic physical transformation, shedding 23 kilograms for the role. "At the time of shooting the climax of Daveed, my weight dropped from 96 kg to 74 kg. It wasn’t an easy task. To achieve six-pack abs, I had to follow a water-cut method. I started by drinking 10 litres of water with salt, then gradually reduced it to eight litres, then six, and so on. The idea was to lose weight without compromising muscle mass. It was an extremely challenging process. One has to truly respect those who do this regularly—like Unni (Mukundan) bro," he added.

Other than Pepe, Daveed boasts a stellar cast, including the likes of Lijomol Jose, Vijayaraghavan, Saiju Kurup, and Aju Varghese. With anticipation building, fans eagerly await the film’s theatrical release.