"I Want to Honour All My Emotions, Feel Them, and Then Let Them Go": Sanya Malhotra

These past two years, Sanya has been through a great level of self-reflection and personal growth, as she tells Brides Today. The catalyst was a four-year-long, long-distance relationship that ended right before the lockdown. However, the silver lining shines bright, the pain belongs to the past, and life is looking optimistic and exciting for her.

Brides Today: How did you cure the condition (cystic acne), and what is your skincare routine now?

Sanya Malhotra: "I went to a dermatologist and took medication for acne. Even after it was cured, I made it a point to visit my dermatologist regularly. I eat well, exercise, and drink three to four litres of water every day. I lug around a huge bottle, it looks like a bucket (laughs). It’s embarrassing to roam around with it, but it’s so important to hydrate. I have also cut down on the number of skincare products I use. Earlier, I would get inspired by influencers on social media who would apply some 10,000 products on their skin. But now I only use a moisturiser and sunscreen. I don’t step out of the house without sunscreen."

BT: You’re clearly an advocate for body positivity. What, according to you, is the best way to deal with the pressures of conforming due to social media?

SM: "Oh, you don’t have to! It’s high time people began thinking like that. That said, it does take time, personal growth, and healing to actually start loving yourself and your body. It happens gradually."

BT: What was the journey like for you?

SM: "I remember when Dangal was released, people commented on my body being too bulky, and also on my short hair. But I was playing the role of a wrestler and was very confident in myself. I never felt like I was too bulky or that I looked like a boy. Never, ever. I remember when I had to put on 12 kilos for Pataakha (2018), I posted a picture on Instagram and people began commenting, ‘Dangal ki training band ho gayi hai kya?’ (Has the training for Dangal stopped?). That was the first time I realised that people can be really mean on social media. But obviously, you can’t troll the trolls or tell them that you’re training for a role. The trolls are coming from a broken place themselves, and that is really important to keep in mind. I maintain a very healthy social media boundary. If you are posting a picture, please don’t look for external validation."

BT: What is the best relationship advice you have ever received?

SM: "Nobody gives me relationship advice! (Laughs) But one thing I learnt from the film (Meenakshi Sundareshwar) is that communication is the key."

BT: And what are your plans for the coming year?

SM: "I am shooting for a few projects. I just finished a film with Vikrant Massy and Bobby Deol, it’s called
Love Hostel, which should be released next year."

BT: And what are your hopes for yourself for the coming year?

SM: "I hope I am able to honour everything that comes up in my life, good or bad. I want to honour all my emotions, feel them, and then let them go, whether they’re happy or sad. That is it."

BT: What are your hopes for the world?

SM: "Until everyone is vaccinated, I hope people take care of themselves and other people around them...we all have been through such crazy two years. Another hope is for people to have compassion and empathy for others, and for themselves."