Nushrratt Bharuccha has had a long relationship with Yoga, from attending camps organised at her house by her uncle and aunt to taking personal training. Yet, it was always an on and off equation. However, last year, she developed a deeper bond with it, and on International Day of Yoga today, the actor shares how Yoga helped her in one of the most challenging situations of her life.
Last year, Bharuccha got stuck in Israel during the ongoing Israel-Plaestine War, and after returning to India, she got into Yoga again. She shares, “I got in touch with recently because right after the incident, I was diagnosed with PTSD. Doctors had advised me to take anxiety pills, but I am not a pill person. So, I called an Ayurveda centre which provides natural therapy, including two hours of Yoga in the morning. They provide you with food that balances your chakras and shell out a daily routine plan so that you can be one with nature.”
The actor took a 14-day session in October 2023 and insists “it brought me out of anything and everything”. “I was able to sleep, eat and function and I didn’t have any anxiety post that. It became a reason for me to restore my mental stability,” she says.
It’s often said that Yoga can help you find peace of mind, but for Bharuccha it’s about figuring oneself out. “The person who finds peace within is very lucky. But if you can only silence your mind, it’s a great outcome,” she says, adding that it’s necessary to realise the kind of Yoga that works for you. “I know Iyengar Yoga works for me. It helps my body and muscles to open up in a certain pattern aligned with my breath. My body is moving in ways I hadn’t known, and I am making postures which I never felt before. You start to breathe differently, walk differently and get a very holistic approach towards your body.”
Bharuccha insists that Yoga has helped her professionally too. “It helps you cut the bulls**t out. It helps you differentiate between what’s needed and what is not, and helps you stay calm. As actors, you see a lot of chaos around, but Yoga has helped me find my centre while teaching me how to conserve my energy and not get disturbed by everything happening around,” she says, adding, “This time my connection with Yoga is not like a holiday but a part of lifestyle now.”
