Life Hill Gayi, Gyaarah Gyaarah, and Thar and A Wedding Story actress Mukti Mohan, who is also a trained dancer, believes actors do not necessarily need to promote healthy living and nutrition. She feels that public figures should not have to take on the responsibility of inspiring everyone.
She said, “You can’t really inspire anyone; I feel that people need to be intrinsically self-motivated. I meet a lot of people who want to work on their bodies but struggle to do so. I remind them that they’re already doing so well and working so hard, and yet they’re pushing themselves to the point of exhaustion, sometimes even landing in the hospital. Because of this, some people think I’m like a teacher, but it’s just my genuine concern for those who want to achieve a lot but aren’t able to follow through.”
“I’ve met many people who ask me how I stay motivated and for tips on how they can do the same. However, when I share advice, they often don’t follow it, so I’ve stopped giving advice. Now, I just focus on doing what works for me. If I’m working out, dancing, or doing yoga, I might share it on social media, but it’s not to inspire others. I’m not taking on the responsibility to inspire everyone. I do think my actions impact people and give them motivation, which is probably why they respond positively. But generally, I share my routine to keep myself on track,” she added.
She believes maintaining physical fitness is a combination of 70% nutrition and 30% workout and added, “I feel that more than half of what you do is what you eat.”
Mukti avoids gluten and fruits after sunset and usually prefers to eat heavy food in the afternoon. “I'm one of those who can't eat heavy in the morning. I need to have something light, like some juice or something, and then go for a run and then come back to have a hearty meal. I enjoy a full meal with things like paratha and palak paneer. I really enjoy everything. That’s my heavy meal of the day,” she said.
But she hasn’t followed any strict diet for any specific role that she played. However, she said, “I’m general; I've found that my energy levels are heightened when I focus on vegetables, fruits, and staying well-hydrated. I try to maintain this, especially when I'm dancing a lot. I consume a lot of juices and liquids because eating heavier food can weigh me down. So, I primarily stick to vegetables and fruits.”
“For most roles, I haven’t done anything special in terms of diet. But for Thar, I did a lot of sunbathing because I needed to be super tanned, and my skin loves a good tan. I really enjoyed getting that tan for the role,” she added.