Freedom makes people uncomfortable: Milind Soman

At an age when most people slow down, Milind Soman continues to question norms — about ageing, body, love and success. The actor and athlete believes life is less about one's appearance and more about alignment. Over the years, several of Milind’s choices have sparked public debate — from the iconic 1995 Tuff Shoes advertisement with Madhu Sapre, to the moment he ran nude on a beach on his 55th birthday. Yet, for Milind, these were never acts designed for shock value. “I find it interesting that freedom makes people uncomfortable,” he says. “The ad with Madhu Sapre wasn’t about nudity, it was about confidence. Running nude wasn’t about shock, it was about vulnerability. I don’t wake up thinking I want to break norms. I just follow my instincts. If that challenges society’s comfort zone, that’s not rebellion — that’s honesty,” he says.Time, Milind believes, has softened his understanding of love. “When I was younger, love was exciting, dramatic and loud. Now it’s quieter. It’s about ease, respect and being able to be completely yourself without performing,” he shares. “Earlier, love was about being wanted. Today, it’s about being understood,” he adds.With his wife, Ankita Konwar, Milind says there is no pressure to conform to traditional milestones. Ask him if he wants to start a family soon and he said, “Family doesn’t have to follow a template. Ankita and I are happy building a life around movement, sport and shared values. We don’t chase milestones; we chase experiences. When life feels aligned, you don’t need to explain it — you just live it,” he says.While acting remains important to him, it no longer defines his identity. “I choose roles that interest me, not roles that keep me visible,” Milind explains. For him, fitness is non-negotiable. “It’s the foundation that holds everything else up. We live in a time full of influencers, but short on role models. Looking good is easy; living with discipline, balance and longevity is much harder. That’s the conversation I want to be part of,” he says.Milind is particularly vocal about the expectations placed on women. “Women have been under pressure long before fitness entered the conversation. Earlier it was about being presentable, then desirable, and now it’s about being fit. The label changes, the pressure doesn’t.”His earliest fitness role model, Milind says, was his mother. “She wasn’t running marathons, but she was disciplined, mentally strong and consistent — which is real fitness.”That definition has since expanded. “Every woman who turns up for Pinkathon despite responsibilities, doubts and discomfort becomes a role model in her own way,” he says.