Bhabhiji Ghar Par Hai’s Saumya Tandon reveals her diet, fitness and beauty secrets

We caught up with Saumya to know more about the person behind the charming face, her relationship with her husband Saurabh Devendra Singh (Saumya married her long-time boyfriend, a banker, in 2016), her fitness regimen and the lifestyle habits she swears by.

Her popularity as the ‘gori mem’ or Anita bhabhi from &TV’s popular comedy serial Bhabi Ji Ghar Par Hai! has made her one of Indian television’s biggest crowd pullers. She’s also among the few TV stars who, riding high on her small screen persona, barged her way into Bollywood as Kareena Kapoor’s sister Roop in Imtiaz Ali’s blockbuster film Jab We Met (2007), and stand her ground.

Meet Saumya Tandon, TV’s most adorable bhabi, and the lively host of some of the biggest reality shows on the small screen, including Zor Ka Jhatka: Total Wipeout with Shah Rukh Khan (2011), Dance India Dance for three seasons, and the Bournvita Quiz Contest with Derek O’Brien for three seasons.

We caught up with Saumya to know more about the person behind the charming face, her relationship with her husband Saurabh Devendra Singh (Saumya married her long-time boyfriend, a banker, in 2016), her fitness regimen and the lifestyle habits she swears by.

Saumya, tell us about your fitness and diet regimen. How difficult is it for you to stick to your routine, considering your uneven working hours in the industry.

It is a challenge to keep a disciplined fitness and diet regime while shooting for a daily show. Unfortunately, my studio is far from home: I travel close to three to four hours daily. Still, I try to work out three to four days a week.

I don’t follow any strict diet chart, but stick to a few thumb rules. I eat oil free or almost oil free food, keep a count of my protein intake, avoid long gaps in my meals and include two fruits daily in my diet. I also drink 8 to 10 glasses of water to keep my system clean.

Are you inspired by any celebrity for their fitness ethics?

I look up to Akshay Kumar for his fitness mantra. He is disciplined, consistent and his fitness levels have been the same for years. He doesn’t just modify or sculpt his body unnaturally for the screen. He is fit internally. Among female stars, I look up to Katrina. She looks fit and strong.

What is your idea of relaxation?

My idea of relaxation is to be calm in the lap of nature with my family. Whenever we get a chance, especially during festivals like Holi and Diwali, we take a break for 2-3 days and go to a health retreat or a peaceful place away from the city. Spending quality time with my family is my biggest relaxation.

Tell us how you take care of your skin. Do you have any strict do’s and don’ts as far as applying makeup is concerned?

I use cruelty free makeup: I only opt for natural or organic and vegan products. Also my makeup cleaning ritual is almost 20 minutes long, because I don’t let even a speck of makeup remain on my face before I go to sleep. I use a sunscreen everyday even if I am shooting indoors. I use a Vitamic C serum in the morning and an under eye cream every night.

Before applying makeup, I apply a hydrating primer so that the face doesn’t become dry, because makeup never looks good if the skin is dry and dehydrated. Then of course a very well known tip for good skin is drinking at least 8-10 glasses of water daily.

Any home remedies for hair care?

Honestly, I don’t get enough time these days to do elaborate home treatments for my hair. Whenever I get time, I put onion juice in the roots of my hair and keep it for an hour and then wash it off with shampoo. It’s a bit smelly but is very good for hair growth. I go for protein treatments in the parlour at least once in a month.

Another very good home remedy for shiny healthy hair is applying a paste of curd lime juice from the roots to the shaft of the hair, keep it for half hour and wash it off using a shampoo.

Do you have a daily beauty regimen that you follow?

I drink amla aloe vera juice every morning along with two glasses of water on an empty stomach. This helps me keep my system clean -- a clean stomach means good skin and a healthy body. I also drink coconut water daily as it replenishes minerals in the body and once again, it’s good for the skin and hair.

I also take supplements to help my body cope with the toil it goes through everyday. I take calcium and D3 supplement and a Vitamin B12 supplement since that I don’t drink milk and am a vegetarian so calcium and B12 support is needed.

I religiously use sunscreen lotion, an under-eye cream and a Vitamin C serum daily. I also try and exfoliate my face with lactic acid or glycolic acid face wash to cleanse clogged pores so that I don’t suffer from a breakout.