Dire Need For Artists To Prioritise Health, Mental Wellbeing: Sukhmanee Lamba

Actor Sukhmanee Lamba entered the entertainment industry as an outsider. It is no news that the struggle to constantly audition for several years to find one good role is taxing for artists. For Lamba, it was no different. The 'Badrinath Ki Dulhania' actor, who is now seen in a solid role in 'Jubilee' currently streaming on OTT, faced her challenges and made peace with the fact that all she had to do was give in her best irrespective of results.

In this conversation with SheThePeople, Sukhmanee Lamba discusses ">health, why artists must look out for their mental wellbeing in the high-pressured workings of the entertainment industry, and how she prioritises her peace over everything else.

How do you look after your health, as the world of Bollywood is very demanding, and so is the new world of OTT? What’s your advice to women on putting their health first?

I strongly agree with the fact that 'Health is Wealth'. Since we are talking about health, I want to share an incident from six years ago, when my sister met with an accident. She fell from the first floor, had to go through a spinal cord injury and it was around Badrinath ki Dulhania. it was indeed so hectic as I had to travel from the hospital to the airport, board a flight for the sake of shooting at a Dharma set, for which I’d been long waiting, and then back to the airport and to the hospital. It was a hustle and was taxing for us. My family and I had to ensure everything was in place so my sister could carry on with her normal life. This incident taught me so much about why health matters.

Being in this industry, I have had to take even better care of my health. Moreover, being healthy also gives you confidence, as you feel fit from the inside. Here, I’m not saying that someone who is overweight can’t feel fit, It is about being fit from the inside. I would say that feel confident in whatever shape you are but always feel fit and stay happy and feel healthy from the inside. That would be my advice to everybody.

What do you do about ensuring good health?

I’ve been a dancer for all my life and I still dance when I'm not training and every time there is a dance workshop going on around me, the type of dance which I have not tried, I’ll go and do those dance workshops and I do gym, I workout. I try to be mindful about my diet and my body.

I really think that we should listen to our bodies, and make routines as per what suits our health best. It differs from person to person.

Whatever amount of workout you do, you should also try to have an equal amount of rest. It would help if you also were gentle towards yourself, and not go crazy with weights. Above all, I like to mix things like weight training with yoga, dance and meditation. Meditation is something that I’ve been trying to make an integral part of my life as it helps me to calm myself while being stuck in a distressed situation.

Do you think that everyone in the film industry is comfortable with the idea of therapy? What are your notions on it?

I can't say that everyone is okay with the idea of therapy in the industry but we can witness that a lot of change now. Now, when people who have been through it showcase a positive change, you feel confident looking at them and think, 'Okay, one day maybe I can give it a shot too.' That's how the orthodox attitude towards the norm of therapy is steadily changing, I believe one must go for therapy if one feels the need for it. Taboos around therapy need to be shattered and open-mindedness should be embraced.

Suggested reading: Every Rejection Was A Low Point: Jubilee’s Sukhmanee Lamba Recalls Struggle