Category: Motivation

Bollywood is a fascinating industry that makes some amazing web series, TV shows, serials and films…but also a bunch of horrible ones.  

Every day hundreds if not thousands of people flock to Mumbai to see if they can make it on the evolving silver screen. 

But unlike Hollywood (which is also difficult to get into), there is less of a process and no direct entry for Bollywood registration.  This isn’t like engineering or medicine, where at least some path into breaking in is structured. 

The good news however is that it’s never been a better time to try and be an actor in Bollywood or the rest of India. Amazon and Netflix are pumping loads of money into the country, along with the other studios like Hotstar, Zee5 and Alt Balaji.

If you have a flare of being charismatic or dramatic on screen…and you work hard, you can make things happen thanks to the good old internet.

Just remember, medical school is easier than making it as a superstar actor. Acting isn’t an easy profession to easy money, despite what society tells you…which ironically, is all an act.

So as someone who gets called almost weekly for some TVC (TV Commercial) or Web series audition or the other, I thought I’d share my experience, so you, the newcomer can know how to become an actor with no experience in Bollywood. 

How Do You Enter Bollywood? First start recording yourself/posting on social media and shooting small films like YouTube or Instagram sketches, then sign up for local theater classes, and then use either platform to message contacts virtually or in person.  You can also emcee or do stand up comedy, magic, singing or other creative things to grab interest from casting people.  

Most people move to Bandra or Andheri East or West and think they’ll start taking acting classes and figure it out.  But I can guarantee you while that might have worked at one point, these days you have a much better shot with doing that plus also staying busy with digital platforms.  

Most casting directors and agents care about how you look on an expensive video camera for an ad they’re shooting, not how great your theater skills are to hold a bag of Doritos and say “wow yaar, yummy.”

They’ll also likely check your Facebook and Instagram anyways to see how you look in your latest stories and posts, so you may as well treat that as a resume.

Once you start getting basic ad work or small YouTube screen time, then you can increase your skills with acting workshops and drama. After that go ahead and try to find contacts at agencies like Kwan or whoever.

There’s a lot to consider as you learn how to become an actor in India let’s go! 

How To Get Started in Bollywood

If you haven’t even messaged somebody who does theater in Bangalore or Chennai or Delhi, or attended a workshop, or watched many plays…why would you move to Mumbai and just think somebody is going to put you in a commercial because you have nice abs? 

I’m not saying it won’t happen, but just like college kids make apps so they get a taste of the technology career lifestyle, you should also know what acting is REALLY all about right? 

For the newbie with no acting experience who wants to get started in Bollywood, here’s a rough playbook of what you could do, whether you already live in Mumbai or are in another Indian city like Hyderabad or Pune. 

1. Get involved in local theater.  Message those people who do it on Facebook or go to some play for a 100 rupee ticket, trust me, they need the audience as most theater plays lose money and any audience, even yet another acting hopeful is fine. 
2. Learn Hindi. If you’re Hindi is not great, start practicing it to  make sure it is. Bollywood actors need to speak Hindi, whether for ads or small roles and eventually the movie gigs. 
3. Know friends or distant people who make YouTube videos or small commercials? Ask them if you can act in any, or hold a camera, or help with sound, or even serve tea. Yes, I get asked these things all the time and when I do need somebody, I look in my spam folder to see who recently emailed me rather than try to call 10 friends and see which one is available.
4. Learn the basics of filmmaking.  You can take a course on Udemy for like 500 rupees or start taking 100s of free courses on YouTube already.  Don’t see a channel in Hindi? Go ahead and make one!
5. Start making sure you have a nice Instagram feed, and put “aspiring actor” in your bio.  IF you don’t believe in yourself, how will anybody else? And yes, casting people sometimes search based on that also! 
6. Get familiar with the acting lingo.  Self test, sides (the script they want you to read), reference take, non compete (e.g. if you’re auditioning for Samsung they want to make sure you never did an Ad for Apple), etc…  You can look at websites like Backstage to figure all that stuff out. TVC, Print, Digital, slates…all stuff you need to know. 
7. Try to work at a radio station as an RJ or producer.  Try to join or start your own improv team.  Talk to restaurants to let you do events there and invite your friends and record it. 
8. Eventually you will get called to audition for a commercial, whether on TV or YouTube.  Then when people know you do this, you might get called to act in a web series or serial or TV show.  From there, you’ll be on your way to small roles in films and more! 

The majority of my friends are stand up comedians and all of them walked into Bollywood not by just trying to be an actor, but by building up a resume of talents for which Bollywood then called them.  

Don’t just ask yourself “How Can I be an actor?” but also ask yourself “How Can I build up my portfolio online and in person so that people want me to be in their work?”

How Kubbra Sait Got Into Bollywood

Kubbra Sait is a friend of mine who I know through her brother Danish Sait. 

Both of them interned at radio stations in Dubai and India.

From editing small commercials at a radio station on a slow Dell PC they eventually got to talk on the radio after a year or two, even recording jingles which are simple musical ads. 

The work was probably peanuts but good experience in a medium that is now moving online. 

Danish went on to make funny pranks on his Soundcloud, and Kubbra moved to Mumbai and started to get Emcee work. 

She did any work, including:

• Shopping malls,
• company events…
• Earning 500 rupees emceeing thankless marketing activations (another thing you need to google)
• to then saving some cash to take acting classes in Mumbai,
• to then being a full time emcee who was eventually #paidToTalk and later #paidToAct.

Once the emcee stuff got her bigger projects, she then started hosting events and award shows where producers and movie people “Hey we should use her for that TV anchor role in our show” or “Hey she would be good to be a sports announcer in this film!”

While continuing to emcee as her full time job, Kubbra slowly landed roles in Salman Khan’s movie Sultan, Gully Boy and of course her breakout role as Kukoo in Sacred Games Season One. 

Her brother Danish more or less did the same thing by leveraging Emcee and Radio work to start hosting IPL events and then move into the South Indian film industry. 

The point is, in the Indian film industry everybody has their advice on how you should make it or try it.  But when you have no experience the only technique is to make your experience and then things happen. 

I know people who do hundreds of acting classes and land no work, and people who have never done any acting and get tons of roles.  And everything in between. 

How To Market Yourself in Bollywood

Once you have built a good Instagram following, taken a few acting classes and learned the ins and outs of the industry, now the real hustle begins.  

If you don’t know anybody, try emailing casting companies in Mumbai directly off their website with professional photos and list of things you’ve done. 

You’ll probably get 1 response out of 100, but it is a start. 

From there, message small time actors or producers on Facebook and Linked In.  

But again, the most important thing you can do is also try to write and shoot things on Instagram, Facebook, or whatever else.  This is a sure shot way to get ahead and also give you experience you’re going to learn on set anyways (shooting, rehearsing, editing, angles, lighting, etc..) 

How To Respond to an Audition

When you’re new, you can feel intimidated or nervous if somebody is calling you to audition for some Samsung or Godrej ad.  Casting agents can also easily determine that based on the questions you ask and if you call them “sir,” even though many of them might also just be 21 or 25.  

My suggestion, if you’re able to…act like you’ve done this 100 times.  You’ll get a call like this:

Casting Agent:

“Hi, we saw your profile on Facebook (or Instagram or YouTube) and have a requirement for a TVC (Television Commercial).  Can you come in for an audition?”

You:

“Sure, can you send me the audition script or reference take on WhatsApp?” 

A reference take is just somebody in their office doing the same audition so you get an idea of what they’re looking for.

You can also ask them (if you’re really confident) how much is the role, what language is the role in (Hindi, English, etc…) and if you can just send a self recording.  

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Conclusion

These days you can make your own way as the gatekeepers no longer have as much power and a TV commercial will easily take the guy with followers and good theater credits than somebody who just knows the producer but otherwise only hang out in Santacruz coffee shops. 

If you have specific questions comment them below and I’ll update this post with the answers!

Plus most people with large social media followings end up making more money through their influencing than even some of the TV shows!

Imagine! 

They’re many ways to get into Bollywood, or Tollywood or even Hollywood so this post was just meant as a way to guide you on your options. I’m sure many people who went the theater/Mumbai dreams right probably have different viewpoints, but there is no one size fits all approach.

If there was, we’d all know about i by now right?

Related Questions

Auditions for Acting in Bollywood Movies

Most auditions for Bollywood films take place at offices in Andheri or Juhu, or via sending an audition recording via WhatsApp.  

While casting couch days should be long gone, you should always exercise caution when going to some random building or studio. 

Major casting companies that I know include Piyush Raina Casting and Casting Bay, although I’m sure they’re many others.

If you get a call, google them, check their Facebook page, look up the person’s number on TrueCaller and just do your general research to make sure the person seems sorted. 

Direct Entry Into Bollywood

But what about that girl who got into a big movie at 21!  Oh you mean Ananya Pandey or somebody else?

Well I’m sorry to tell you, but nepotism is alive and well. Just like your uncle got your cousin into Infosys, we as Indians network to our heart’s content. 

Kangana Ranaut isn’t crazy, she just speaks the truth about people pushing their family favorites.

I’m not saying products of nepotism can’t act well (I’m sure some do), but for the average person with zero contacts, you have to build a portfolio on your own.

That means learning to do small roles in digital stuff that propel you further up.

That is exactly what folks like Nidhi Singh and Sumeet Vyas did with The Viral Fever (and more folks do daily) as well as Mithila Palkar with Dice Media and Filter Copy. 

They probably made nothing or just 5 to 10K per video, and then went from there since people saw them act well. Ditto with Mallika Dua and AIB sketch videos and others who are making leap from YouTube to your local multiplex.

Bollywood Film Industry Jobs

If you’re reading this article you probably want to be an actor, maybe a director or producer.  I would suggest if you have zero experience to make short films on YouTube and master your camera, whether it’s an iPhone, Canon 5D or Sony A7S (or whatever the newer ones are).  

A basic 30,000 rupee camera or even less is enough to show your skills, and you can learn film editing for free using Premiere or other tools. 

Another good way to break into the production crew, although doing sound and lighting in India aren’t the respectable union jobs they appear to be in the west, is to apply to production houses like Nirvana Films or Yolk Studio (both in Bangalore) or Supari Studios in Mumbai. 

Sanjay Manaktala is a stand-up comedian, author of the Harper Collins Book “My Beta Does Computer Things: You’re Guide to the IT Industry” and digital content creator. His latest effort is the Birdy Num Num podcast, helping you learn creativity in life after engineering. You can learn about Sanjay here or check out his stand up comedy YouTube channel here.

I was answering a couple of questions about dating on my podcast yesterday and one of the questions was from a girl who has always been a supporter of mine. 

I didn’t expect this question from her but it also made me realize this is a very common situation not just in America or India but pretty much everywhere. So I thought I’d list out my thoughts.

Should you date someone older than you? I personally believe it’s fine to date someone older, as long you’re very honest WITH YOURSELF about the pros and cons of doing so.  Usually, anything more than a 7 year age gap will mean that you’re at very different places in life. This can cause long term friction in relationships.

This is my just my experience so I thought I’d explain a lot more details and examples of what I mean.  If you’re dating someone and have a different experience please let me know in the comments. And if you’ve already started dating someone older and are hopelessly in love, well…good luck.

Should You Date an Older Guy?

Well, it depends. What’s important to you?

I grew up in the online dating world of Match.com and OkCupid and then witnessed the Tinder and Bumble generation when I had some bit of maturity about the opposite sex. 

I know the apps have really changed the rules of dating and part of that is we really just swipe on a person’s highlight reel, not the behind the scenes which is the real version of their personality.  

Seeing a 35 or 40-year-old dude who flies planes, has a boat, is in good shape, killing it at his career and/or rocking the salt and pepper hair (hey there) can be enticing and also welcoming from the younger non-commital culture.

Benefits of Dating an Older Man

It’s nice to know someone has their stuff together and if you’re 22 or 30 and see someone in their 30s or 40s, they’re a lot of pros to dating an older dude.  Specifically:

• They’re usually done screwing around. 
• They will have their career and finances sorted. 
• They know what they want. (well, maybe)
• They recognize their metabolism has slowed down so they’re active.
• Most are a lot more accepting of marriage in their 30s (or 40s) than they would have been at 27. 

Cons of Dating an Older Man

Of course, all the pros of dating an older dude also have some negatives.  

One of the hardest parts for guys of all ages, at least with long term dating or marriage is not the marriage itself…it’s just learning how to not be single.  

We grow up so used to figuring our own meals, lazing around letting things be a little dusty, forgetting to call back or make plans that many times this can be unsettling for a long term partner.  Now imagine all of that PLUS an 8-10 year age gap, and they’re a few cons to dating an older dude.

If you’re a 24 or 25-year-old girl who still wants to go clubbing every weekend, go on an excursion filled holidays to Bali or Thailand, want to spend the whole night in the you know what or simply talk till 2am…you also have a lot to think about:

• They’re done with the wild birthday nights and after-parties. They wanna go home by 11 and watch Netflix or do stuff on their laptop.
• He doesn’t want to travel every free moment or go to brunch every Sunday.
• Might have ex-wives or kids or other baggage you may find difficult, even if you think it’s mature to just deal with it.  
• Usually pretends to be more outgoing and energetic than he actually is. 
• Pretty set in his ways after 30+ years of doing so (food, health, alcohol, job, entertainment, etc…)
• Probably one and done in the “you know what” department.

I’m not saying dating an older guy doesn’t work. I’m just saying don’t think that if you’re 22 and a 35-year-old wants to marry you, when you’re 27 and he’s 40 that there won’t be minor hiccups. 

1. Maybe on your 27th birthday, all your girlfriends want to go to Vegas or Goa and he can’t or won’t.
2. Maybe you were pressured to have kids too soon (or maybe it was perfect for you) and feel you compromised too soon.
3. Maybe he wants to whisk you away to another country forever while you still want to do that masters program at home.
4. Maybe you still like ordering in while he likes to cook at home and expects you too also…who really knows? 

You just need to know what you’re sacrificing or compromising on, which is usually going to fall on the younger partner because usually an older guy or girl won’t take a younger person’s problems as seriously because they’ve moved on from that phase. (e.g. bachelor parties, office functions, whatever).

Tips on Dating an Older Guy

If you’re dating or married to someone at least 6 years older, there are a few tips you should know about all of us, from 25 to 50. 

1. We’re not as busy as we’d have you believe. 

Just like a 25-year-old looked like this super fancy dude when you were 19, a 35-year-old is the same immature person, just with a bit more money.  

So if you’re 27 and your 35-year-old dude is saying he’s tired, or doesn’t have the time (yet is pretty active on Instagram), just know for those people who are serious about their relationships…there is always time.  Call them on their bluff and watch them sheepishly agree or laugh and say “ok let’s go meet your friends.”

2. Set expectations from the get to. 

It’s nice to date someone older because they ground you in what’s important.  Spending quality time or not going out every Friday is a good thing.  

Later, even though he didn’t do it at your age, you might be glad you had kids at 29 versus 36.  

But I would say at the very least if an older guy wants to date you seriously or long term, make sure you’re vocal about your wants, desires, and expectations. 

Express your hesitations and hold them accountable. “I told you my friends 25th birthday is important and we have to go, now why are you being a jerk and saying you want to stay in, etc…”

And if your parents express their doubt, it’s not bad parenting, it’s just being cautious.

3. Excess Baggage is well, extra. 

I don’t care if you’re 1 pound over or 10, those airlines are going to get you to pay.  And usually, if you pay for one pound, you’re paying for an extra suitcase. In the same way, if your older dude has kids or an ex-wife or (yes, very common) still married and said he’s “working on a separation,” well, trust me…this issue can and will come up. 

I know you say you’re “so chill” and it’s going to be fine, but I have seen girl friends of mine make these mistakes time after time because they had wishful thinking about a lot of this stuff.  

A lot of older guys are just lonely in whatever phase of divorce or late 30s they’re in and they’ll probably tell you their baggage isn’t over the weight limit because well, that’s how you board the flight and get to where you’re going. 

Now for the young chaps…

Should You Date Older Women?

Well, how much older is she? 

A lot of young guys like to joke about cougars and “Bro, she’s like 34, she’s so wild bro, she knows things” and all of that. 

But a lot of those same guys are just all macho talk and want the companionship and sadly, need to be babied and looked after. 

Regardless, if you’re a 22 to a 30-year-old man and you’re seeing (or will see) someone older, then you should weigh the pros and cons as well.  

Benefits of Dating an Older Woman

Older women are usually more clear about their lives and what they want and when they want it.  

Sure some 30 something women drift around in Goa or shun corporate life while not doing anything else as an alternative. However, compared to SOME 22-year-olds who are just confused and pick a grad school mindlessly or take whatever job they can, older women, for the most part, are trying to line things up for the long term.  

Usually, if you’re dating a woman that’s 5 to 10 years older than you, the benefits include:

• Less silly games and jealousy that we all suffer from in our youth.
• Working professional that has chosen a direction. 
• Probably enjoys chilling at home rather than going out all the time (if that’s you too).
• Enjoys things like hikes, gym, parks, movies as opposed to bars and clubs and holidays. 
• Probably has a dog or a cat (hopefully you do too?).
• Family-oriented. 
• They will give you a good mature butt kick to get your life in order (e.g. finances, health, friends, etc..)

Cons of Dating an Older Woman 

As usual, let’s start with the obvious.  

And again, these are from a younger guy’s point of view, not from a similar like-minded 34-year-old guy. 

• Girls between 28 and 35 usually want to make sure this is going to end in marriage, where you might just think this is a 1-2 year fling. 
• The ticking clock for kids is an added pressure.
• Chances are, you’ll have large financial differences which may or may not cause issues.  (buying or renting a house, travel, personal tastes, etc…)
• May expect more out of you than bars and Netflix (e.g. more meaningful conversations).
• May not 100% communicate what is really important to her with the hopes that you’ll want to settle down, then simply waste another 2-3 years.  

Tips on Dating an Older Woman

If you’re a 22 to 25-year-old man and seeing a girl in her thirties or forties, here’s some guidance for ideally both of you.

1. She Probably Wants To Get Married, Even if She Says She Doesn’t

I’m not saying she wants to have kids or marry you tomorrow, but unless she’s divorced with kids and not looking to do all of that over again, chances are she wants to get some stability and move on to the next phase of life.

A lot of girls I know, again, will say one thing just not to scare off the younger dude they’re dating, but we all want companionship and usually, women are keener than guys to do that sooner in life.

So if you found yourself a nice cute sugar mama just make sure you’re honest with her that you plan to bounce in the next few years or this is just fun for you, because it’s not going to get any easier on either of you when you tell her you’re moving to Thailand at 27 when she’s 33 in the city.

2. Relationships Are Way More than Physical

When you’re 21 or 25 with a little bit of career swag, most guys just want to make up for lost time and try to hook up with everything that moves. This can be exciting if you start seeing someone older but trust me, it gets old fast.

I know it won’t make sense to your testosterone and Instagram model filled daily life, but if you don’t know this beyond three months of a honeymoon phase you’ll learn soon enough. Make sure if you are into someone much older it’s because they’re just the coolest person you’ve ever met, irrespective of their age relative to you.

3. It’s Ok to Man Up

A lot of guys will get high fives from their buddies when hooking up with an older girl, then also get called whipped or changed when they no longer come out every Friday, party less, or get caught making pasta on her Instagram story.

Your friends your age are going to continue to party away their 20s, so as long as you’re fine exiting that lifestyle, by all means, march on. Nobody ever says “I’m so glad I went out drinking on that pointless Friday night seven years ago” but people regret a lot of wasted time, all the time.

So if you find someone older who isn’t really changing you but just making you a better version of yourself, go ignore the noise and enjoy your life (and this is true for dating in general).

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Conclusion

I know so many girls who stay in relationships after 30 that are clearly going nowhere, and instead of making a clean break and starting over, they double down and then are single again at 34.  

I also know so many guys who date a younger girl thinking they can keep up, going back to their lazy comfy ways and then disappointing that person who’s just trying to revel in their youth. 

Instead, I wish both of those girls and guys realized while yes it sucks to start over at 31-35 year of age, you’ll probably now have the skills to identify the right one a lot faster and make a better long term decision even if after dating someone for just a year or two in those later years. 

You may not know what you want, but you’ll definitely know what you don’t want and that ends up taking you the rest of the way there. 

Does that make sense?

It did for my parents and maybe yours too.

While dating someone much older in today’s digital world is personally not advised (by me), it’s just something you need to tread with caution in an already complicated modern dating landscape.

Plenty of people use less social media, are truly happy about their partner and life goals when younger, and put a determination towards their relationships that many of us don’t. 

In fact, I ‘ve noticed that most of us who grew up in big cities are so confused, that in our 30s we realize the small-town folks who got married young had it right all along.

If you have that conviction and have very clear goals about what you both want…well, happy dating 🙂 

Sanjay Manaktala is a stand-up comedian, author of the Harper Collins Book “My Beta Does Computer Things: You’re Guide to the IT Industry” and digital content creator. His latest effort is the Birdy Num Num podcast, helping you learn creativity in life after engineering. You can learn about Sanjay here or check out his stand up comedy YouTube channel here.

I did Keto for about 3 months last year and lost 11 KG (24 pounds). 

I did it entirely while living in Bangalore India.

I knew the diet was good at getting results but I also knew the experts were divided on the real effectiveness of it long term.  So as somebody who is on it again (only for a single week as part of a new meal plan), I thought I’d list my experiences. 

Does the Keto diet work? If you want to lose weight fast, which in today’s society is like asking if you want it now…then yes it works.  If you think you’re going to keep it off long term and have a weekly pizza a year from now, it probably won’t. 

Can’t I just lose extra weight then gain 25% of it back and normalize that way?

That’s basically what I did but I noticed the 25% of the weight I did gain back was in all the wrong places.  

I still went down from 175 pounds to 150 to now at 160 (for the last year), but my clothes fit way off and despite being off alcohol and sugar and exercise and having a truly balanced diet, I feel like my fat is in all the wrong places. 

TL; DR: I feel the 25% I gained back went straight to my tummy and nowhere else. 

Of course, your experience and opinions may vary, but you can google 100 articles online and 50 will tell you that keto works, 50 will tell you that it’s horrible. 

Even with doctors and hospitals the terminologies and disclaimers are so vague that nobody really puts a stake in the ground. Plus a lot of people go EXTREME and do only 5 carbs a day which is insanely dangerous. 

In fact, I remember when I was at Manipal hospital for a master health checkup the nutritionist (who was also not in the best shape ironically) looked at my ketones in my blood work and just kind of rolled her eyes and said: “ok you do you, buddy.” 

So this just how I did keto in India and what I learned, and why I’m even doing it again for a week. 

A Simple Definition of Keto

What is Keto? The Keto Diet is a low carb, high-fat diet.  You normally eat less than 20G of net carbs a day (carbs minus fiber on the nutrition label) and after 3-5 days your body is in a state of ketosis.   

I’m not a doctor (although my wife is) so I won’t even try to give you the scientific advice which you can find at the link above.  I just want to explain my experience because I feel my situation is similar to many. I didn’t care about a six pack but I wanted to look good for my wedding and was also curious if my abs really exist.  

I never found out if they did, by the way. 

In a nutshell, you only eat eggs, protein shakes, chicken, bacon, avocado, cheese, spinach, lettuce, and butter. 

If you have even a slice of toast or a small handful of rice or potatoes and fries, you’re setting yourself back weeks or months. You can’t drink beer but you can probably have a Glen or Johnnie here and there. 

The Keto Diet Works Well for Indians, Which is Also Why It Doesn’t

India LOVES its carbs.  

Middle-class India also loves its carbs delivered straight to its lazy millennial hands, thanks to Swiggy and Zomato and cheap labor and Netflix or Amazon. 

I’m guilty of it for sure. 

Even if you order plain tandoori chicken and ask him to not include onions (you’re not supposed to really have onions either), he’ll look at you funny. 

Or you go to a restaurant and just ask for Chicken Tikka Masala (Not perfect but hey sometimes a little tomato is ok) the waiter will ask you how you’re going to take it, roti or rice?

Watch his face when you say by itself. 

Combined with many restaurants being vegetarian only, keto is not hard to do in India but it is a little inconvenient.  Nowadays so many big cities also have keto kitchens or restaurants with menus that say they’re Indian keto diet-friendly. 

After a week, you get into the groove and all is smooth sailing.  

You do some light cardio, bite on an onion or one french fry here and there, but within a month the weight is flying off. 

You will then most likely

• buy skinnier jeans, 
• look better in that Chinese collar shirt 
• Pat yourself on the back for having figured this super-complicated weight loss thing so easily
• and get a few compliments from the ladies or dudes.  

Jesus Christ, that was easy wasn’t it? 

Time to trash all those old clothes, update the profile pics and upgrade to Tinder Gold. 

Doing keto for months will send you straight to hospital. You have to give a break for it to work. I only do it once or twice a year and it works well.

— ND (@navdhad) September 24, 2019

But alas, as with anything get rich quick scheme or dreamy job title…if it’s too good to be true, we know it probably is. 

Is Keto Sustainable Long Term?

Of course not. 

Do you really think you’re going to give up bread for the rest of your life? 

Or only eat it once a month? 

Do you really think only chicken and bacon is what you’re meant to eat when we’ve evolved to have all those veggies on the ground for a reason? 

You will definitely crave bread less long term and start ordering lettuce-wrapped burgers even when you’re off keto, but having dal (lentils), rice, potatoes, onions, fruits (apples, bananas, oranges) and all of that is going to have its place in your life. 

What are you going to do when somebody is giving you Prasad full of sugar and says you have to eat it and 20 people are watching you? 

What are you going to do when auntie is visiting and insulted you didn’t have her ghee soaked Paratha at 11 PM after 4 cups of masala chai? 

I’m not saying you can’t avoid sugar and bread…you 100% can. 

But instead of tricking your body for years and years, why not recognize the benefits of Keto (short term emergencies or motivation) then make a long term solution. 

Again, look at all the data in the screenshots above. 

Ignore paid media and ask 10 people around you in your circle what their experience with a ketogenic diet was. 

When Should You Go Off Keto?

I went off Keto after my wedding, and I was happy I did it.  I felt more confident and felt great before, during and after.  I also had some buffer weight (e.g. I lost 4KG more than I planned) so I wouldn’t feel bad when I gained some back. 

But once you’re back at your routine I would simply transition to a more balanced diet, hire a personal trainer or figure out what is important to you.  

The only thing is you’ll have to start a new disciplined approach with a new diet all over again.  Intermittent fasting, one meal a day, carbs only before 4 PM, or whatever else. 

But word on the street (or tweets?) is don’t do keto for more than 2-3 months tops, and then figure out a way to keep pushing the pounds off. 

Chances are you’ve now developed a taste for spinach and grilled chicken which you can carry into having small ragi (millet) bread or oatmeal. 

Keto Does Have Some Benefits

Which is exactly why I’m doing it again today for just a week.  I’m on day 3 of 7.

If you need to lose weight fast sometimes you just gotta do it.  I’m not judging and all of us leave things until the last minute…so I get it. 

Go get that Sabyasachi wedding dress boo. 

Once you do keto for a few months and then gain some or all of it back, that discipline you have is also something you gained.  Now after going from 100KG to 75KG and back to 99KG, you’re going to realize that it wasn’t so hard at all to commit to something with conviction. 

Combine that with your taste buds now craving less bread than six months ago, you’re well on your way to a truly balanced diet.  It’s like you went on holiday, got a taste of the good life, and now you’re motivated to save money and buy that villa in Ibiza the long sustainable way.  Had you never lost the weight short term and seen the other side, chances are your mind wouldn’t make it happen for you. 

Remember, weight loss is literally just eating less calories than you burn.  

Aristotle

Conclusion

We over-complicate things in our lives so much these days don’t get caught up in analysis paralysis. 

I find myself reading 30 reviews, spending 30 minutes debating which toothbrush to buy for 30 rupees. 

Don’t do the same thing with all these diets.  

Do what’s right for you but remember the basics. 

But yes Keto for me was a short term kick in the butt to making long term changes, just not in the way it’s marketed. 

Happy eating! 

Related Questions

1. What do You Eat on Keto in India?

An Indian Keto Diet plan includes the following:

Meats and a Non-Vegetarian Indian Keto Diet: 

• Tandoori Chicken, 
• Tandoori Fish, 
• Chicken Tikka, 
• Roast Chicken, 
• Lamb Curry, 
• Roasted Lamb. 
• Egg Curry
• Egg Omelet

Most items like Chilli Chicken in Indian restaurants have maida or flour so you’re probably eating carbs in the chickens coating or batter so you don’t realize it. 

Vegetables or Vegetarian Indian Keto Diet:

• Spinach (Palak)
• Cauliflower (Gobi)
• Lettuce
• Carrots
• Green Chillies
• Avocado (Butter Fruit in Karnataka) 

You can’t have any dal or any dosa bro. 

Nuts

• Almonds
• Walnuts
• Cashews (a tiny bit maybe I’d advise against it)
• Pistachio (a tiny bit maybe but I’d say avoid it)

2. Can You Do Keto as a Vegetarian in India?

Yes, I know plenty of people who do it but it’s very inconvenient.  Your Infosys company outing really won’t have anything you can eat except maybe paneer, and even those starters will be coated in maida or flour. 

You can even do Keto as a vegan, but you will not enjoy anything you eat. 

Cauliflower rice and soy only? 

Or avocado and cauliflower rice and soy? (that sounds good actually). 

For every meal? 

3. Do You Exercise on Keto?

I ran about 5KM a day on Keto, three times a week.  The other days I did light weights for 30 minutes while listening to podcasts.  

You’re not really in a heavy bodybuilding mode but for most of us, we just want to get lean and trim so cardio and situps/pushups/core exercises is basically all you really have to do. 

Read Next:

Nice Guys Finish Last but What’s the Hurry (my most popular post)

How I Quit Alcohol and Smoking for Six Months

Body Oder and the Indian Man

4. What are some Indian Keto Recipes?

When I first started keto and wanted chicken tikka masala with rice (e.g.s Cauliflower rice) I just found Headbangers Kitchen and he had a ton of nice options. 

But I found all that psyllium husk and almond flour and yada yada was just not worth my time after a few weeks. But it definitely helped curb those initial cravings to cheat the brain.  In fact, Chinese chicken fried rice made with cauliflower (if you soak it in water first to remove that cauliflower taste) is so good sometimes you can’t even taste the difference.

Sanjay Manaktala is one of the top stand up comedians in India who started building the comedy community in the country back in 2010. Since then his stand up comedy videos and podcasts have helped millions laugh or get motivated. His latest effort is the Birdy Num Num podcast, helping you learn creativity in life after engineering. You can learn about Sanjay here or check out his YouTube channel here.

Alcohol and going out to bars and pubs are a favorite way of passing time for most people in their 20s and early 30s.  I did it and I’m sure you did as well. But growing up I would periodically get anxiety that while I didn’t have a problem with booze, I wasn’t operating at my best capacity.  I knew I could get all the things I thought drinking would give me some other way.  

So I tried to stop and here’s what I learned. 

How did I stop drinking? I simply stayed busy with nightly gym classes and other hobbies during the evenings and once the clock passed 10 PM, I was out of the danger zone. It’s not really quitting the drinking that’s hard.  It’s the WANTING to quit drinking that you really have to question.  

In fact, most people don’t want to quit drinking, what they want to do is turn their life around.  And that’s where saying no to alcohol becomes step one. 

Of course, your experience may vary but aside from saying “you just have to do it”, for me the tactical advice of simply avoiding the prime time was how I got moving.  Then once I found myself at company events or stand up comedy shows with free booze in my face, I found other hacks to avoid the sauce that made it super easy. And trust me, stand up comedians drink a lot and this is not an easy profession to stay sober in. 

They’re a lot of factors that will make you realize that quitting drinking (or even smoking) isn’t that hard. 

It’s just like a diet.  

A little bit of discipline in those first 14 days makes the rest of it easy peezy. 

Knowing Why You Want to Quit Alcohol

I remembered hearing this podcast that featured James Swanwick that did it for me with really one quote, which was basically that he could make $200,000 in a whatever job for the rest of his life knowing he was operating at 75% capacity with pointless company outings, or he could make some big changes and at least know he was at 100%. 

I kept drinking for a few more months but that kind of just kept ringing in the back of my head. 

A couple of months later my wedding bills racked up, I noticed my bank balances going under levels I was comfortable with and also just knew I was capable of so much more. 

So after one particular bender I stopped, thinking it would be for a month.  Given the podcast I heard earlier, it wasn’t even cold-turkey.

Just like brand awareness in digital marketing, I was actually quitting warm-turkey, as I was thinking about this for a while and my mental state was already prepped to the idea.

For me in particular, it was also the realization that thousands of drinking nights weren’t even that memorable.  It’s tough to say no to a beer when you’ve had a long day, but nobody who says no ever thinks the next day “Oh man I wish I had that beer last night.”   

In fact, most of us just say “Oh I’m so glad I didn’t have that beer last night because I don’t miss it at all and I feel great today.” 

I realized I wanted to quit because more than being the life of the party or having fun at comedy shows I was performing on, I really just wanted to be better at everything I was doing.  And duh, I wanted to make more money. 

So find your reason, whether it’s:

• to be a better father,
• lose weight,
• make more money,
• have better health
• find a girlfriend or a boyfriend
• or whatever it is.  

Then go drink some more. 

Quitting Alcohol Gradually

I used to be a heavy binge drinker.  I didn’t even have a problem. For all of 2018, I gave myself a rule that I would only drink on the weekends.  

But the second Friday 8 PM rolled around, guess what?  I went hard. Literally until Sunday at 11 PM. 

What’s the point of not drinking during the week if you’re just going to make up for all of it in 2.5 days? 

As mentioned above and as counter-intuitive as it sounds, once I knew I wanted to eventually stop the alcohol I kept drinking for a few months.  I started enjoying it less and less and that helped me not miss it at all after a few weeks once I did stop. 

You still will at least twice a month for a while though.  

How to Avoid Alcohol

Once you skip that first Friday or Saturday drinking with the same friends talking about the same garbage, you realize even after just one day it wasn’t so bad the next morning. 

The irony of course for me in my thirties now is that I still wake up feeling hungover or with a scratchy throat (I quit smoking on the same day also) but I guess that’s just age. 

A lot of people think if they quit drinking the managers and executives at the company meeting or dinner are going to look down at them. 

Or they think they’re friends will somehow be disappointed in them. 

Not really man. 

Your friends are just annoyed they don’t have a buddy to drink with, because it makes them feel bad rather than both of you being on a sinking ship. 

So how do you AVOID that part?

You don’t avoid the bars and pubs.  You also don’t make the same plans over and over. 

Start going to the gym or coffee shop or movies or mall or fun restaurants instead of straight to your local dive bar to avoid being around it.  But when your buddy calls you to see what the scene is for the evening, go ahead and continue to meet them. 

Just grab that diet coke.  Or say you’re sick. Or say you want to stay out even later once they’re ready to wind up. 

You’ll get a couple of “dude you’re so bored now” or “you’ve changed” but just like with a diet, those same people who want you to bite into the ice cream will be the same who commend you when you discovered you had abs after all. 

I used to quit alcohol for one month every year from 2012 to 2018 and I can tell you I never lost any friends those months or any time after. 

Related Questions

1. Should I quit alcohol with a friend? Yes, having a buddy system helps but it also goes off the rails easier when one of you starts drinking again.  You are ultimately the only one who is going to live with this decision for a long time so I say find your formula that works for you (e.g. announce it to the world or don’t, avoid outings or embrace them, etc..)

2. Is your life better after drinking? The ironic thing about stopping alcohol is that you won’t necessarily be more productive.  Plenty of teenagers and grown men in their 30s play video games all day eating Cheetos and don’t drink a single beer.  But they’re just as lazy and useless sometimes. But chances are the time and money you save not drinking will be just a fraction of the potential you unlock to spend time and money doing other things you’ll probably enjoy a lot more for your specific interests.  Whether it’s to find a girlfriend or boyfriend, getting promoted, having more time for your family or who knows what else. 

3. How do you quit Smoking? I personally found that if I quit drinking, I would naturally smoke less.  That eventually led me to going out less, and since I was out less and drunk less, cigarettes went from 10 a day to five a day to 2 a day until a day went by and I realized I hadn’t even had one.  Again, stay busy with things you enjoy aside from getting drunk and having the same conversations and all this stuff seems very trivial. 

Conclusion

If you recently quit or are thinking about, how do you plan to quit?

Alcohol is funny because the joke is you drink when you’re happy and you drink when you’re sad. But if that’s the case, what difference does it really make?

Read Next: Nice Guys Finish Last but What’s the Hurry (my most popular post)

Read Next: Who Enables You To Be Mediocre? (my favorite post)

Read Next: How to Start a Microbrewery in India (real business advice from Toit)

Nobody ever looks back on their pointless outings with colleagues and is glad they had those 5 beers instead of 4. Nobody ever actually meets girls or guys or their soulmates thanks to the beer they had while out with 9 guys.

Find out what you really want out of life and then find a way to to get it without alcohol, and then drink however you want.

Not the other way around.

The makeup and beauty industry is booming in India and across the world.

A good portion of that has to be thanks to a few different factors as it relates to the Indian makeup industry:

• YouTube
• Bollywood
• Indian Weddings and Bridal Makeup
• Hollywood and Indian Actors
• Diverse looks across the globe
• Fashion and beauty bloggers

I recently sat down with my buddy Sandhya Shekar to talk makeup, being one of Deepika Padukone’s favorite makeup artists and traveling the world learning makeup from the world’s best.

Who is Sandhya Shekar?

If you follow Bollywood celebrities, Instagram fashion bloggers or the makeup and cosmetics industry India..the real question is Who Isn’t Sandhya Shekar?

She’s from Mangalore, got started doing makeup for small shoots after working in the media industry and then hustled her way to the top.

We talked on the Birdy Num Num podcast about the makeup industry, upping your skills and how to be a makeup artist in India and beyond.

1. How Did You Start Doing Makeup in India?

Sandhya: I was working at Yes Bank and got bored with that. So I asked some of my friends who were in styling and fashion about it, and just thought let me take some courses.

My goal wasn’t even to work with many stars, it was just to pay the rent and see if I can make this a viable career option and do a few bridal shoots.

Then I went to a one month course in Mumbai and did another course at the London School of Beauty, and came back to Mumbai and started assisting other makeup artists.

Then after 8 months of assisting, in 2005, I got my first gig with MTV.

2. What should people know about having a career in the makeup industry?

Sandhya: I think with our job you have to keep studying, all the time. Just like a programmer has to be up to date on all the technologies, so do we have to stay on top of the latest styles and trends.

For example, I used to do one look that required six different tools. Now years later it only requires 3. As you progress you then are rated based on how efficient you can output quality work and being to update is how you get there.

So even though I’ve been at this for like 15 years now, I still go take a 3-5 day masterclass if I see anything is happening in Mumbai or elsewhere with folks I respect.

3. How did You Convince Your Parents?

Sandhya: I left Yes Bank over a 3 month notice period, then I came home for a few months before heading to London.

They thought I would get into the Bollywood machine and get “corrupted” or “exploited” but in all honesty that’s not been my experience at all.

4. What is Contouring?

Sandhya: (laughs) It’s when the light falls on your face in a flattering way.

5. Were you always into beauty as a profession?

Sandhya: Yes I think so. I used to stain my lips and cheeks with beetroot and other things since my mom wouldn’t let me use her makeup. I kind of got into all of that at an early age.

6. You were at the Met Gala with Deepika Padukone’s team as one of her makeup artists. How was that?

Sandhya: Honestly it was such a fun experience. We had our schedules, we got briefed properly on her outfits and her changes and it was just so exciting to be a part of. Bollywood and Hollywood are both great so it was nice to see two sides to that coin.

Read Next:

Best Indian Podcasts

How to Be a Fashion Blogger in India

Conclusion

The full one-hour interview links are below, but the major lesson I think we can all take away from the beauty and makeup industry is that like with anything, complacency can ruin your career.

Sandhya started her journey in 2005, but a lot of people look at her now or her 70,000 Instagram followers and think wow she’s so great and so popular.

But with anything in life, the highlight reel is far from the reality of the behind the scenes, and quite literally Sandhya earns her showreel behind the scenes.

Questions for her? She’s reading this blog and agreed to answer questions if you comment below.