When a New York matchmaking scene in Kal Ho Naa Ho needed a quick comic beat, Dheepesh Bhatt’s Frankie Ramdayal provided it — a DJ whose bandana-and-headphones look made a moment stick. The 2003 Dharma Productions film, directed by Nikkhil Advani and led by Shah Rukh Khan, Preity Zinta and Saif Ali Khan, won eight Filmfare Awards and remains one of the decade’s defining Hindi releases. For Bhatt, it would also be the end of one road and the start of another.
The one-film wonder
Bhatt never appeared in another feature film. Rather than use the visibility from a memorable supporting bit to chase more roles, he stepped away from acting and invested in a different discipline. It is the kind of pivot Hindi cinema produces quietly: a performer known for one scene, then remembered through a parallel profession.
From Frankie Ramdayal to Shivohaam
Today he operates as Shivohaam, a celebrity fitness trainer whose client list doubles as a roll call of contemporary stardom:
- Ranbir Kapoor — trained for Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar and Animal
- Aamir Khan — trained for Talaash and Laal Singh Chaddha
- Amitabh Bachchan, Jacqueline Fernandez and Ram Charan — among his clients
His wife, Vrindda Bhatt, works alongside as a holistic wellness coach with more than 23 years of experience in the field. She specialises in Yogic Psychotherapy and has coached Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Karan Johar, Kajol and Sushmita Sen. In 2017 the couple launched ShivFit, a Mumbai gym and fitness centre. Shivohaam is credited with introducing CrossFit to India and spent nine years as Reebok’s brand ambassador. On social media, his following stands at around 939,000.
Why the afterlives matter
For readers who treat Hindi cinema as a living archive, stories like this carry weight beyond nostalgia. They show how the industry’s memory keeps minor characters legible for decades, and how its ecosystem — training, wellness, grooming, coaching — now constitutes a second economy beside the screen. A bit player from 2003 ended up shaping the physical preparation of actors who now lead the box office.
Source: Hindustan Times
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