Celebrity trainer Sohrab Khushrushahi on India’s evolving wellness culture

When Sohrab Khushrushahi left behind a career in law to enter the fitness world, it wasn’t about chasing aesthetics or chasing trends. “It’s been an evolution more than a pivot,” he shares. “I started out in law because it was the ‘safe’ path. But I wasn’t waking up excited. Fitness, on the other hand, had always been a constant. Eventually, that passion turned into SOHFIT. It was never about aesthetics; it was about helping people move and live better.”

His entry into nutrition came later, when he co-founded Func. Lab, not as a business plan but as a response to what he calls “a real gap.” “People were training well, but their recovery and nutrition were off. So we built something honest, functional, and simple.”

Rethinking wellness: Why India is moving beyond quick fixes

That ethos of keeping things simple runs through all his advice. Ask him about the one habit most people overlook, and his answer is far from an exotic hack. “Chewing your food properly. It sounds basic, but most people rush through meals, which causes them to feel bloated or sluggish. Slowing down, chewing your food, and actually being present during a meal can make a huge difference.”

In a country where “healthy” was long equated with looking a certain way, Sohrab sees an important shift. “Health isn’t a look. It’s your energy levels, your sleep, how well you recover, your relationship with food and movement,” he says. For him, holistic wellness today means moving daily, eating food that supports your body, sleeping well, managing stress, and knowing when to switch off. “It’s how you feel when no one’s watching.”

That shift is also visible in what excites him about India’s wellness landscape today: curiosity. “The good part is that people are more curious. They’re asking better questions, reading labels, and trying to move away from quick-fix solutions. That’s a big win.”

But alongside that curiosity comes noise. “Everyone’s an expert on Instagram. There’s a lot of half-baked advice floating around, and sometimes that does more harm than good. Wellness doesn’t need to be complicated; it needs to be consistent.”

The basics before the hacks

It’s no surprise then, that Sohrab is sceptical of the biohacking craze sweeping urban India. “Biohacking sounds great, but most people don’t have the basics in place. Are you sleeping enough? Are you eating well? Are you managing stress? Fix that first. Otherwise, you’re putting fancy rims on a car with a broken engine.”

Among the underrated basics he wishes more people paid attention to is something as simple as walking. “Especially post-meal walks. It’s simple, doesn’t require a gym, and helps digestion, blood sugar regulation, and even mood. People chase hacks and fancy supplements, but a 10-minute walk after meals? That’s one of the easiest wins you can add to your routine.”

What we’re still not talking about

For all the progress, certain conversations are still missing. “Emotional well-being. Most men still don’t talk about stress, burnout, or what’s going on mentally. Wellness is also very much about how you’re feeling and your mental well-being. I think men need more safe spaces to have those conversations, as well as more acceptance of the same in society. It’s not weakness; it’s awareness.”

And while Sohrab is optimistic about India rediscovering its nutritional roots, he points out one persistent gap: protein. “Our kitchens have always had powerful, functional ingredients that support everything from digestion to immunity. But culturally, we don’t emphasise high-protein foods enough, and that gap shows up in how people recover, build strength, or even just feel day to day.”

If he could rewrite the fitness playbook for the next generation, his message would be about balance. “That more is always better. More workouts, more supplements, more restrictions. I think it’s a mindset that’s led to burnout and confusion. You don’t need to train two hours a day or eat ‘clean’ 24/7 to be fit. What actually works is consistency, balance, and tuning in to what your body needs. Fitness isn’t punishment. Nutrition isn’t about fear.”

And when it comes to schools, he believes the foundation should be awareness, not calorie charts. “I’d teach kids how to listen to their bodies. Not just calorie counting or food charts, but actual awareness, how food makes you feel, why sleep matters, how to manage stress, why any physical activity is important.”

For Sohrab himself, wellness boils down to freedom. “Feeling well for me, I’ve always said this, it’s a feeling that I can do anything I want to, when I want to, without second-guessing myself.”

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