EXCLUSIVE: Here’s how being a Naked Yoga Guru opened doors in the acting world for Vivek Mishra

While yoga has a lot of benefits, we see lots of people practice it on a daily basis. But ever wondered how it would be to do naked yoga? Well, as bold as it may sound, it has also been luck for actor Vivek Mishra. Yes, being a naked yoga trainer has brought Vivek to Bollywood and also opened doors for him in Bigg Boss 7. Not just this, he has even worked in a lot of films and TV shows with some big names and has some great working coming up. In an exclusive interview with Instafeed, this dynamic personality gets candid about his bold choices, his journey, and how he owes it all to his yoga. Read on…

You are famous by the name Naked Yoga Guru, when did you decide to do something so unique?

Yoga is an age-old tradition, you do pranayam or follow a sattvic diet and dedicate your life to it as the rishi munis did in ancient times. I had met a person who had come from Canada and was conducting a naked yoga workshop, I had met him there only. In today’s time, the world has accepted it, but in our country, it is perceived in a different way. I used to do yoga since childhood, but I became a naked yoga trainer only after meeting that man. I wouldn’t want to take his name. 

Since you have also been a part of Bigg Boss, done movies and TV shows, where does your interest lie more, Bollywood or Yoga?

I would say it would be yoga because I got all my recognition from yoga. Today, whatever I am is because of yoga. If it wasn’t for yoga, Bigg Boss makers also wouldn’t have called me on the show. So I would like to balance both, I don’t look at quantity, I look at quality. 

You have also worked in some big films, so when did you decide to become an actor?

My latest film is Manikarnika, in this, I had major scenes with Sonu Sood. Let me tell you, I came to Mumbai to a director, not an actor. When I came here, I met some big people, they sent me from here and there. When I saw all this I thought, it will not work like this, how will I pay my rent? Then I met a friend who told me about acting. Then I did some ads and ramp shows, back then shows like Crime Patrol, etc were very popular on TV, so I did that. Later I got Bigg Boss and that’s how my acting journey began. 

How did you make up your mind to come to Mumbai? Did your family support you?

I was doing very well in Delhi, I was a corporate person and had done a few ad shoots, modeling, and print shoots. I belong to a family of doctors so my parents were not happy, they wanted me to become an IAS officer, that is why they were unhappy. I had also resigned from a well-settled job, I still remember I had resigned on 31st December. Then I came home and said that I want to go to Mumbai to become a director. My family said what is the need to go to Mumbai, but I had made up my mind, I had my yoga on the basis of which I came here. 

After working with so many big names, what are your future projects? What do you find better, films or TV?

Both are equal I feel, an artist will give his best in any medium he is asked to perform on. Yes, television makes you a household name. Here there is an age-old notion that a TV actor doesn’t work for films, there are very few examples who have been successful at doing so. In India, the concept of an artist has been categorized. I want to work on an OTT platform, it's very good. You will also see me doing comedy ahead. I cannot disclose about the project, but that is my next. I am very excited about it because it is something I always wanted to do. 

Written by Nawaz Kochra