Aishwaryaa Rajinikanth: Yoga helps you achieve a holistic transformation

One look at her social media feed, and you’ll know that Aishwaryaa Rajinikanth takes fitness seriously. The filmmaker often shares snippets of her fitness journey — which includes a generous dose of yoga — with her followers, encouraging them to lead a healthy life. On International Day of Yoga, today, Aishwaryaa tells us how she got hooked to yoga, her parents’ influence on her lifestyle, why she considers yoga a way of life, and more.Excerpts…
Have sports and fitness always been part of your lifestyle?
Sports, per se, have always been a part of my life. I used to play tennis when I was in school. I also used to play badminton. But my interest in fitness evolved through the years. Like any other child, I used to have all the junk food - I loved my pizzas and chocolates. I feel that children today are more conscious about leading a healthy lifestyle. But I am an 80s kid and that awareness came much later, when I was in my teens. Maybe I was a little plump, maybe I wanted to look better in some clothes. I think I first developed an interest in fitness because I wanted to look better physically.
At what point did you get into yoga?
Yoga has always been part of my family — my dad (Rajinikanth) practised a bit of yoga, and my mother (Latha) was quite serious about it. So, I grew up watching them do yoga at home. In fact, dad still does whatever yoga he can at his age now. But he never misses meditating even for a single day. He has always been health-conscious. But I didn’t do yoga when I was a kid. I started it only after the birth of my first kid, in 2006. I had to stop playing tennis after I developed photosensitivity. By then, I was already initiated into Bharatanatyam. So, that kept me physically active. I was also hitting the gym regularly — I was into functional training and cardio. I’d cycle a lot and play badminton. But post the birth of my first son, I tried out yoga and stretching, thinking I’d get back to my previous gym routine a little later. But then, I got hooked to yoga, especially since it also started having a holistic impact on me. It has helped me improve my flexibility to a great extent. I realised that you don’t have to go by the weighing scale all the time. It is more important to feel good in your skin than in your clothes. Today, I maintain a balance of yoga, gym, cycling and badminton.
Are your sons also into yoga? Do you have a family yoga time?
During the pandemic, we did! My eldest son is 16, and he is at that stage in life where he wants to build lean muscles. So, he’s keen on hitting the gym. My younger one will turn 12 today, and he often loiters in the room when I’m practising yoga. But as I said, it was only after I grew up that I realised how yoga was helping my parents. I used to think that yoga was slow when it came to giving results, and it doesn’t help in becoming lean and fit. But these are just myths, which I realised on my own. So now, I’m waiting and hoping that my kids will also realise it on their own.
People say that yoga is a way of life. Your thoughts?
Yes, yoga is definitely a way of life. It helps you achieve a holistic transformation. It’s not something that just works on your limbs and muscles. It works on your breathing. We all breathe without realising what goes into it. But it can be so powerful if you know how to control it, work on it and improve it. For me, meditation is also a part and parcel of yoga. It’s not only about chanting. I’d say, close your eyes and let your mind run free. After a point, you’ll become blank. That, according to me, is meditation. To stay in that state of blankness is so difficult. Yoga helps you there. It automatically calms you. You’ll also see your personality changing — how you react at home, how you’ve become less impulsive. I believe yoga brings a change in your lifestyle.
For someone who wants to get started with yoga, what would your suggestion be?
Yoga is something that you cannot learn on your own. It comprises many intricate techniques and you need to study it. You need help and good assistance when you start off. You can get a trainer and follow them. There are also several apps that can guide you. Some people like to attend group classes and get inspired by seeing others do it, while others like to do it in their own space. But I’d suggest, practice yoga in a quiet atmosphere. It helps a lot when there’s no distraction. You can’t have people chattering on one side and the TV running on the other! If you’re serious about it, all you need is a mat, a bottle of water, a quiet atmosphere, and ample patience!