Street Fighter actor Vidyut Jammwal held his breath for a staggering 15 minutes at a special Street Fighter event in Mumbai, proving that when it comes to playing Dhalsim, a fictional yoga master and iconic playable character from Capcom’s Street Fighter, he is not just bringing the heat, he is bringing the breath control too.
The actor, who is set to make his Hollywood debut as the iconic gaming character in Street Fighter, gave fans a glimpse of the yogic discipline behind his transformation into the character. Dhalsim’s powers draw from yoga and Kalaripayattu, the ancient Indian martial art, making Jammwal’s physicality a natural fit for the role.
Once the meditation ended, Jammwal revealed that he had used a technique from the Patanjali Yoga Sutras, a foundational collection of 196 short Sanskrit verses compiled by the ancient sage Patanjali that explains how to calm the mind and achieve spiritual freedom, to achieve the feat. He also shared that he teaches the technique to youngsters, stressing the importance of patience, persistence and allowing things to take their time.
Street Fighter actor Jammwal, “Main apni younger generation ko ek baat bolna chata hu, ruk jao thoda sa” which translates to I want to tell my younger generation one thing, slow down a little.
When asked how he did it, Jammwal replied “I don’t know how I got it, because I stood still. Hum dekh rahe sab log bhag rahe hai, yeh karna hai, voh karna hai, yeh karna hai, voh karna hai, kuch nahi karna hai; ek baar tham jao, ek baar ruk jao (We see everyone running, I have to do this, I have to do that, I need to achieve this, I need to achieve that. But you don’t always have to do something; just pause for a moment. Stop for a while. Take a breath.) That skill will really really take you very far. This is what I can tell you, thank you for witnessing this.”
With Jammwal bringing his real-world martial arts and yogic discipline to one of gaming’s most recognisable fighters, Street Fighter looks set to deliver more than a few knockout moments.
A Paramount Pictures release, Street Fighter will hit Indian screens on 16 October 2026 in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.
