Don’t be apologetic when going to work: Soha Ali Khan

Actor Soha Ali Khan spills the beans about the secret behind her healthy life and how it is important to make your own choices
Bollywood actress Soha Ali Khan (File Photo | PTI)
Bollywood actress Soha Ali Khan (File Photo | PTI)

HYDERABAD: Bollywood actress Soha Ali Khan was in the city as a panellist in the discussion “Smart snacking choices and its impact on family health” organised by Almond Board of California at Taj Deccan. We caught up with the actress-author at the sidelines of the event about family, the importance of leading a healthy life and living life with zero regrets.

Talking about her association with the brand and how happy she is to be in the city after a long time, she says, “Hyderabad is rich in heritage and culture. I had the opportunity to come here as a child as a huge part of my family used to live here. I used to come here filming too.

Now, that I have come to the city after a long gap, I feel time really hasn’t gone by and I can pick up from where I left off. I have been the ambassador for the Almond Board of California for three years almost. It’s a very natural association as health and nutrition are very important parts of my life. To be the spokesperson for something you believe in comes naturally. We have done a lot of virtual events, but here in Hyderabad, it is the first on-ground event I have done with the brand. Work is really important but without good health, none of it really matters.”

Nuts for good health
Further adding, about the importance of snacking healthy and how almonds are a great choice, she says, “Snacking has often been linked to unhealthy weight gain and several health problems; however, it can also be an effective way of loading up on essential minerals and nutrients. Feeling hungry in between meals is very common and this is when we tend to resort to eating fast food.

I also make sure to keep a handful of almonds handy during shoots or when I am travelling and pack them in my daughter’s lunchbox. Almonds are known to be a source of 15 nutrients such as vitamin E, magnesium, protein, riboflavin, zinc and more. which makes them a healthy natural snack that I choose to add to our diets. Following these eating habits at home has not only helped us to keep a check on unhealthy weight gain but also take better care of our health.

To not fall prey to unhealthy foods, in our house we follow a strategy of planning our meals ahead of time. This helps my family and me to stay focused on practising healthy eating. I keep our pantry free of junk food and fill it with healthier substitutes like fruits, yoghurt, nuts, and seeds. Nuts like almonds are very convenient to store at home and munch on throughout the day.”

Live life to the fullest
Elaborating on the importance of balancing a personal and professional life in order to live a healthy life, the Kaun Banegi Shikharwati actress says, “I sometimes balance well and sometimes badly. I used to think that I am a good multi-tasker but I am not. I can do one thing at a time properly. I am trying to be a better multi-tasker and trying to delegate. Being someone who is a bit controlling, it is hard for me. I want to be everywhere at all times, but I can’t be.

Now I have come to terms with this, I know now there is someone else to take care of my daughter and the world will not end if I am not there with her all the time. Innaya for me is happiness and the whole world and Kunal is balance for me. We both have different personalities and in a way, we balance each other.” According to Soha, it is important not to be apologetic when going to work. Instead, enjoy the work. When asked about how Soha is at home versus when at work, she says, “Soha at home is very much like what I am now. But with less make-up and more comfortable clothes. When you enter your 40s, you stop pretending so much and embrace who you are.”

Soha will soon be seen in an all-women web series titled Hush Hush with Juhi Chawla, Sahana Goswami, Kritika Kamra and Karishma Tanna directed by Tanuja Chandra. “It is great to be working in an all-women team. When I had started off, there were hardly any females in the team. Coming back in front of the camera was nice. The only worrying factor was staying at work for 12 hours shifts. It is important to have a healthy and full life.

A lot of us girls become wives, and mothers and lose our identities in the process. It is ‘ok’ to be an involved parent and a wife but to have ambitions outside of that realm is also ‘alright’. No need to feel guilty. We have one short life, it is important to be present and have no regrets. One of the most fascinating things about being an actor and an author is they both work from experience. The more you write, the better actor you become and vice versa. I am working on the next part of the children’s book series Inni and Bobo which will be released in September,” Soha signs off.

According to Soha, it is important not to be apologetic when going to work. Instead, enjoy the work. No need to feel guilty. We have one short life, it is important to be present and have no regrets.

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