Priyanka Upendra (née Trivedi) is no new name in Sandalwood, so much so, the actress is also pretty well known in Kollywood and Tollywood (Bengali cinema) — her home turf. After a two-year break, the actress returned to the big screen with Rajkiran J’s 1980, but the film chose to go direct-to-OTT instead of a theatrical release, earlier this year. Now, a mother of two, we catch up with the beautiful actress to talk about her beauty secrets, how she manages to stay fit, what fashion means to her and what projects we can look forward to.
What is the secret to your healthy skin? How do you manage to look the same even after becoming a mom?
As the well-known phrase goes ‘beauty starts from the inside,’ I believe what you eat reflects on your skin and it certainly shows when you’re not eating right. Being an actress, it is very important for me to maintain glowing skin. I always make sure that I start my day with a handful of almonds. I have incorporated this habit since my childhood, and it has truly benefitted me in many ways. It has helped me keep my skin young and healthy. In fact, I've passed it along to my children as well since they look up to me and routinely mimic my eating habits.
How do you stay fit? What are your fitness secrets?
Fitness is an integral part of one’s lifestyle and should always be a top concern especially in the current fast-paced lives that we live. Along with your workout regimen, I believe it is critical to rethink your eating habits and integrate nutritious foods such as fruits, vegetables and nuts such as almonds into your diet to preserve general health and fitness. Whenever you feel hungry in between meals, opting for a handful of almonds instead of fried or other calorie-rich snacks can really help with weight management. Not just that, almonds keep you satiated for a longer time. I am a great believer in the 70:30 rule — 70 per cent of our fitness is determined by our nutrition and eating habits and 30 per cent by exercise. When it comes to working out, one should choose exercises that suit their stamina and body type. I only take up heavy weightlifting when my role demands that chiselled look. It is also important to understand the connection between mental and physical health. Along with my regular exercise, I try to practice meditation on a daily basis to gather my thoughts and start afresh each day. There is no particular diet that I follow. I eat everything in small portions to maintain a balanced lifestyle.
You’re also known for your sense of fashion, how would you define it?
My definition of fashion is comfort. I believe comfort fashion is here to stay. Even designers are taking this into consideration and creating comfy yet fashionable outfits. I like light floral dresses and kurtis whenever I step out for a brunch or shopping. I save the trendy ones for events and award functions. When it comes to footwear, sneakers are what work for me. Athleisure is slowly becoming a strong part of celebrity style which is a complete win-win for me. Last but not the least; an actress must know how to blend sass, poise and comfort into an ensemble and I think I do that pretty naturally.
Juggling family life and a film career, how do you manage both?
I am a family-oriented woman and like to maintain a healthy work-life balance. I took a backseat to focus on my family a couple of years ago, but that doesn’t mean that I feel guilty about choosing to get back to work. I respect my career and work very hard to deliver good results. I also make sure that my children understand the value of work since both Upendra and I have to step out for shoots regularly.
Finally, what projects are you currently working on and what will we see you in next?
I have recently finished filming five projects (Ugravatara, Miss Nandini, The Virus, Kaimara and Life is Beautiful) in both Kollywood and Sandalwood. The release dates for some of them are yet to be announced. In Ugravatara, I will play the role of a tough female cop and I got to perform stunts as well. While in Miss Nandini, I’ll play the role of a government school teacher. I am eager and excited to watch how these projects will perform on the silver screen. I am also looking forward to experiment with different genres in movies and work on more OTT projects.
romal@newindianexpress.com
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