I go to supermarkets and shop my heart out: Shilpa Shetty

Picture by Ryan Lim

ONE OF THE MOST glamorous actresses from the Indian film industry, Shilpa Shetty was in Abu Dhabi last Thursday for the opening of a new Al Adil Trading store. Shilpa is considered as one of the fittest actresses in the industry. Though she is not active in movies these days, she is one of the biggest Indian fitness gurus on social media and has more than 10 million followers on just Instagram alone. The Baazigar actress spoke to us about all things grocery-related and why she will always be a middle class person at heart. She also spoke about extending her social media portfolio by launching her app.
 
Do you like grocery shopping?
I love grocery shopping! I am very middle class that way. Even now, whenever I get the chance, I go to the supermarket and shop my heart out. The minute I land in London, where there are fewer people who recognise me, I head to Tesco's and Marks and Spencers and shop. So, yes, if I was living in Abu Dhabi, I would come to pick stuff here (Al Adil).
 
What items do you usually pick up at a store?
A home is a home, be it in India or London, so I pick up everyday stuff like oats, spices, grains, vegetables and fruits, every ingredient is essential (for the home). Whenever you are running out of items, you need to make sure that your fridge and cupboard is stocked.
 
Do you pick up only healthy or organic items?
I have to be honest; I cannot be a killjoy in life. But when I pick up something, I read the label and make sure that it is not too sugary or laden with preservatives, and it also shouldn't have a very long shelf life. I believe in eating from the 'earth' rather than eating out of a box. But there are some things that you cannot procure, for example, herbs on an everyday basis (which have shorter shelf life). So, you have to stock up on those items.
 
Are you having a gala time looking at all the spices and herbs on the shelves here?
Yes. These herbs (on the store shelves), I have only heard of them. I was amazed to see Shatavri, it is something women have after child birth for milk production. You also have Ashwagandha  and red sandalwood stick. My mother used to apply sandalwood paste on my skin. I had a nostalgic experience walking around the store. It brought back so many memories. I think that life is made up of memories whether it be food or life itself.
You are very active on social media with your cooking, fitness and eating posts. Do you genuinely love cooking?
I can't fake cooking on Instagram. I cook a lot. I cook because I feel it is therapeutic. Especially when we are on holidays, I get more time to prepare (food), otherwise we are busy doing so much. We have crossed over one million subscribers now on YouTube. I feel through social media I was able to educate people on the simple art of loving food. It's a vertical also on the new app that I am launching soon. There is yoga, functional training, nutrition which is very important to health, and wellness because we are what we eat. It is essential to choose the right kind of food. Sticking to the primary and using fresh produce and ingredients is my mantra. You will see a lot of apps in the world, but none of them are all-encompassing. One can go on a diet along with my fitness programme, and we are proud to have achieved that through my app. I have gone a step further and put in recipes, where one can learn and cook from the app and the best part is that everything can be prepared in under 15 minutes. That is my way of educating people.
 
Your Sunday binges are very popular. How did you come up with that idea?
I never plan it. I work on the spur of the moment. It started because a lot of people felt that Shilpa Shetty does not eat and that's how she maintains herself. But the truth is that I lead a very healthy life, I don't eat after 7.30pm, unless on odd nights when I go out. I try to maintain a gap of three hours after dinner. That's why I eat early, so my body gets time to digest it. I decided to show people how I live my life by sticking to a healthy regime of yoga and functional training, and I binge out and eat on Sundays. It all started from there!
 
If you could give any advice to your 20-year-old self, what would it be?
I am so happy that I went through those experiences, because it made me the person that I am. I am glad that I went through demanding situations, rejections, an unsuccessful bout of films, heartbreaks. It is all important in a journey to make you the person you are. I am still learning, and I know there are a lot of failures even now, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
You are a homemaker, mother, actress, businesswoman. What are the challenges that you still face?
I don't look at it as a challenge; I see it as a journey where you don't always have a roadmap. You have to find your goal and destination, sometimes you get lost, and you have to come back on the way. That's how I live my life as long as I know where I want to go and I end up in that route, time and again. It doesn't matter how long it takes, or whether it has been a rocky road.
arti@khaleejtimes.com