Most women feel they are not good enough to be models as society has some set standards for beauty — skinny, white, tall etc and not everyone fits into these parameters. But beauty comes in many forms, shapes and sizes. Body positivity is a very important topic that everyone needs to speak about. AXN’s Next Top Model has launched a campaign through a series of associations to empower women and tell them loud and clear — ‘You have it in you!’ AXN and the show have collaborated with leading celebrity nutritionist Pooja Makhija and leading fitness expert Namrata Purohit for the campaign.
Purohit, a pilates expert, who has trained Kareena Kapoor Khan, Malaika Arora, Janhvi Kapoor, Sara Ali Khan, Sonakshi Sinha and others, says that ‘You have it in you!’ is an extremely amazing campaign to be a part of. “I think each person has it in them to be who they want to be, and the way they want to be. It is extremely important that they have the freedom to do that. The campaign is just about that. I love to be a part of this campaign because it is so close to the ideologies that I have. Being you and embracing yourself is what I completely believe in and advocate for,” she adds.
As someone who does pilates and helps celebs to stay fit, Purohit feels that gradually, the whole perception around beauty is changing and people are focussing more on fitness. “People don’t just work out to stay fit but also because they feel good about themselves — both physically and mentally. I have seen people transform and becoming more positive about their bodies. And I think that is beautiful,” says Purohit.
When asked what tips is she going to share with contestants on the show, who aspire to be supermodels, Purohit says that the most important thing that she is going to tell them is that they have to be fit, both physically and mentally. “You should just be who you are. No matter what shape, size, height or skin colour you are, it is important to embrace individuality and love yourself. I hope I will be able to make contestants feel beautiful in their bodies and skin,” she adds.
When asked what made her opt for pilates, she says, “It is so customised that anybody and everybody can do it. It is an injury-free form of exercise and that’s what attracted me to pilates. It is extremely important to understand your body and customise the workout according to your requirements and goals. It challenges you in every aspect — strength, flexibility, endurance, motion, energy, concentration etc. That’s the beauty of pilates — it is making you fit in a wholesome way, instead of focussing on only one aspect of fitness.”
Purohit informs that a lot of regular people too, are taking up pilates and there is awareness of the fitness form among people. “The scenario has changed in the last few years. When we started nobody knew what pilates was all about but now at least people have some kind of awareness about it. They come forward to experience it. However, we still have a long way to go. Men too need to understand the benefits of pilates. To create more awareness about pilates and reach different parts of the country to popularise it is my dream,’’ she concludes.