Young Bollywood loves padel; what makes this tennis-squash hybrid so popular with celebs?

So, apparently Alia Bhatt has a thing for padel. Yes, padel, the hip and quirky mashup of tennis and squash where you play inside a glass box and whack a ball off the walls like you’re in some chic arcade game. And it’s not just Alia. Ibrahim Ali Khan, Suhana Khan, and a growing list of Bollywood kids and even Hollywood stars have been spotted swinging the 'padel' paddles.

What makes Padel the favourite new sport for so many stars?

Why the sudden obsession? Well, padel is exactly the kind of sport celebrities love. It looks good on Instagram, it’s social, and you don’t have to be Serena Williams to survive a rally (however, Serena Williams is also a padel fan!) The court is also smaller, with chunkier rackets, and the walls keep the ball in play, which means even amateurs can feel like pros after a few shots. Basically, it’s a win-win: cardio without humiliation.

Globally, padel has been a big deal for ages—Spain, Argentina, Dubai, all in on it. In London, socialites are squeezing in matches between brunch and Botox. Bollywood’s just catching up, and in classic Bollywood fashion, turning it into a mini red carpet moment. Imagine paparazzi leaning against the mesh fence while celebs in spotless athleisure lunge (but not too hard—hair and makeup must survive).

What makes padel different from the other fitness fads Bollywood cycles through? Simplicity. You don’t need months of training like golf, you don’t need insane stamina like tennis, and you don’t need to pretend to meditate like yoga. You just show up, smack a ball with your friends, and look fabulous doing it.

So don’t be shocked if your newsfeed fills up with Bollywood padel “candid” shots. The sport isn’t just exercise anymore, but the new social club, where you sweat, gossip, and maybe sign your next movie deal between sets. Forget cricket because padel might just be the new spectator sport in town, and the best part is, you don’t need Shah Rukh Khan’s IPL budget to play. Just a court, a bat, and a willingness to look fabulous while lunging sideways.

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