International Yoga Day | Neha Dhupia: My dad does headstands at 80, my kids do them too

On International Yoga Day today, actor Neha Dhupia opens up about her long-standing association with yoga, describing it as the foundation of her physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Having first embraced the practice during her Miss India days, Dhupia shares how yoga has remained a constant through every stage of her life, from pregnancy and postpartum recovery to marathon training and motherhood.

“Yoga is one of the most essential things in my life. If I start my day with yoga, I see how it catapults me emotionally, mentally, and physically into my day. I feel the difference because I’m so used to the goodness it does for my system,” she says. Dhupia is quick to address what she calls one of the biggest misconceptions about yoga: the belief that it is less effective than more intense forms of exercise. “It’s such a big myth that people think yoga is just a slow burn. People feel they need to go to the gym and lift weights for fitness. I’m not taking away from that at all, but the magic you get from exercising on that six-foot mat is something I realised very early in my life,” she says.

Introduced to yoga during her modelling days in Delhi while preparing for Miss India, Dhupia says the practice evolves with every phase of life and adapts to an individual’s changing needs. “I got introduced to yoga when I was a model in Delhi and prepping for Miss India. I realised the benefits of balancing my routine by doing yoga three to four times a week, and ever since then it has stayed with me. My body has changed over time and yoga has changed with it. I’ve done prenatal yoga, postpartum yoga, yoga while preparing for marathons when it was more about lengthening my muscles. Whatever you ask of yoga, it has an answer,” she says.

She elaborates, “Whether it’s working on your eye muscles through practices like tratak kriya, improving your breathing with Anulom Vilom, doing twisting postures for digestion, supporting your thyroid health, or doing Surya Namaskars, which are far more physical, yoga has a solution for pretty much everything you’re looking for.” The 45-year-old adds, “What baffles me is the lack of knowledge around it. Everyone feels that unless you sweat a lot or end up breathless, it’s not really a workout. But yoga is immune system support, emotional support, mental support, physical support, and strength training all rolled into one. You’re working with your own body weight. Even if you’re doing Surya Namaskar properly, you’re handling breath work, flexibility, and strength because you’re doing a clean push-up with every round.”

Dhupia points out how yoga influences lifestyle choices beyond the mat. “It’s not just exercise. It’s also very supportive of healthy eating. It’s not the kind of workout that makes you crave more food. When I get my yoga practice right, I don’t crave sugar or unhealthy food. I just feel like hydrating, eating healthy, and taking care of myself,” she says. Calling yoga one of India’s greatest contributions to the world, Dhupia says it deserves far more appreciation at home. She recalls being inspired by her father’s discipline. “My dad is almost 80 years old and, touch wood, he still does headstands. You can’t fight that level of fitness,” she says, using his example to underline yoga’s long-term benefits.

As a mother of two, Dhupia shares how yoga has adapted to her changing needs over the years. “I’ve done prenatal yoga, postpartum yoga, and yoga while preparing for marathons. My body has changed over time and yoga has changed with it. Whatever you ask of yoga, it has an answer,” she says. Wellness, she adds, is a family affair: “We regularly visit Kaivalyadhama ashram with our friends and family. We go for two weeks. I do more yoga practices, and I take my family along. Everyone wants to go on holiday; my holiday starts with spending time there.” She adds, “Yoga is such an essential part of my life that even my 7-year-old daughter, Mehr, knows how to do a headstand. Same for my 4-year-old son, Guriq.”

“It’s an age-old practice that comes from India and it is something we should be proud of. I feel one of the finest exports India has given to the world is yoga. If you travel anywhere, you’ll find people marvelling at its goodness. There are yoga centres everywhere. People across the world want to learn and practise it, yet here everybody wants to do everything else but yoga,” she says.

For Dhupia, yoga’s benefits become even more relevant as people navigate the physical challenges of age and modern lifestyles. “Aging is inevitable, but long walks, working out in zone two, and doing yoga are essential. People start having knee issues — strengthen your quads. Yoga gives you chair pose. Sit like you’re sitting on an imaginary chair and hold it. It helps. People talk about gut issues; a lot of it is digestion-related. Do twisting poses. Do Trikonasana. There are so many simple practices that can support your body if you stay consistent,” she explains.

Consistency, she says, remains yoga’s most valuable lesson. “One thing yoga has taught me is that consistency is key. Yoga is the base for all wellness, all goodness, all health, and every fitness-supporting exercise you want to do. I run and I do strength training, but if I don’t do yoga, I cannot accelerate. Yoga is my foundation,” she says. Even on busy days, Dhupia keeps her routine uncomplicated. “I get up, do a few stretches, 25 to 50 Surya Namaskars depending on how I’m feeling, some more stretches and breathing exercises, and I’m done. I usually pair it with a walk as well,” she adds. “If you don’t have those inherent practices and if you’re not in touch with your own breath, you can be in touch with anyone on Instagram and in direct messages, there’s no use. It all starts with being connected to yourself,” she ends.

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