World Vegetarian Day: Turning vegetarian has been gratifying, Shweta Tripathi Sharma

Among the many sustainable and conscious living life goals Shweta Tripathi Sharma has adopted since a few years, vegetarianism is the newest and most “gratifying”. The Masaan and Mirzapur actress converted to a vegetarian lifestyle last year and says, “I have been very content with that choice I made after being a non-vegetarian all my life.” She adds, “I felt if I am advocating for sustainability and conserving the environment, I can’t eat non-veg food in that same breath.”

Shweta says that a lot of our personal choices, whether it is about food or career, are driven by societal pressure. She says, “This choice also resonates with my career as an actress. I pick characters and stories that bring joy to me. If another actor is choosing something else, their story and journey is different. Similarly, if I am a vegetarian now and I like chole kulche, no matter how good chicken tikka is, I don't want chicken tikka. Just because society, audience or critics are telling me what to do, why should I eat chicken tikka? While unfortunately, that’s what is happening these days, if people can convert to being vegetarian only to follow a trend, I think that is not bad.”

Shweta adds that this lifestyle choice felt like a definite need of the hour. “I am interested in starting something like, save the world in 60 seconds,” she laughs, adding, “I want to use my craft smartly, without making it seem like gyan, to promote simple things like not using plastic water bottles, borrowing clothes rather than indulging in excessive buying for new ones, and eating vegetarian food.”

Shweta, who prefers home-cooked food, looks for simplicity even when outside. “I love indulging in local food of every city and state I visit and now that I am a vegetarian, I find local cuisine is far more enriching, both culturally and for the palate too,” she says.