Anupamaa's Sudhanshu Pandey Aka Vanraj Shah Shares His Fitness Mantra; Says 'If One Is Not Able To Maintain Their Self…'

One of the fittest actors on the small screen is Sudhanshu Pandey, who plays Vanraj Shah in Anupamaa. Although the actor claims that appearance is not the most important factor, it certainly boosts confidence. It's crucial to realise, he continues, that maintaining a decent appearance also benefits our mental health.

“The consciousness about looks and weight affects one's confidence to a great extent because when you know you're looking fit, looking good, your confidence automatically goes up. If one is not able to maintain their self, maintain their body, then obviously it leads to not just a physical health issue but also mental health issue. It could give you a sort of complex or it could make you feel a little low and maybe not as good as others. In our profession, the competition is always very strong and tough and definitely an actor really needs to look after himself or herself to be mentally and physically both fit to be able to perform their jobs and I think it's only fair to be in a good shape and a healthy state of mind,” he says.

With so many shows and movies on body shaming, it has reduced and people have become aware, says the actor, adding, “It all depends on what kind of body shaming it is. We need to understand that someone might not be conscious of how they look. It's a very personal choice and they might not be bothered at all about all these. They might be happy in their skin and happy about the way they look and feel, even if they're fat, or heavy. So I guess a little awareness has been created. Also, some people who have some issues of health otherwise where they can't really lose weight very fast or things like that and they have learnt to live happily in the way they are and be confident in their own skin.”

Meanwhile, celebrities are often spotted with makeup everywhere. However, this might not be compulsory, says the actor. “Like I said, it's a personal choice. If somebody is so conscious about their looks all the time, they can't escape things like putting on makeup even while going to the gym or going shopping. I guess that's a very personal choice and I don't look at it like that. I think if you are physically fit, mentally fit and if you feel good about yourself, I don't think you need to put on any makeup whether you go to the gym or you go shopping. Just be yourself,” he says.

Ask him if he feels that we will ever come to a point where body structure, weight and physical appearance won’t be the first thing that comes to our mind when we meet someone, and he says, “There's a very old saying, an English phrase which says, ‘your first impression is the last impression’. If you start going by that then, I guess, everybody needs to look fit and look good all the time. But I don't think that people are always looking to meet people who are looking good all the time or are fit. I think a lot of people have become aware of the fact that it's not the physical appearance that matters at the end. if you want to really create a bond with somebody because, in the end, what matters is the heart and when you get to know a person, the fittest looking person may have a very ugly heart but maybe a chubby/fat person may have the most beautiful heart. So it's got nothing to do with one's appearance. I think it is important for all of us to start to think that way because if you have a great heart, beautiful heart, everything else becomes secondary. Having said that being physically and mentally fit is very important for everyone as well.”