From being a creative head in a soft furnishings brand, what led to the interest in the fitness page that you run on YouTube?
I have always been very passionate about designing since the day I started drawing as a child and that passion led me to become the creative head at Embellish Furnishing Studio in Mumbai. So whenever I interact or travel for work I was often asked about my fitness regime, my diet, my fitness secrets etc by my clients and absolute strangers also. I get a lot of DM’s on Instagram asking me the same questions. Hence, I decided to start my own YouTube channel and share the details with all of them. So on my YouTube channel you would find videos where I am dancing (it keeps me fit, it’s the best cardio I would say) and I demonstrate exercises and little details about how I go about keeping fit on a daily basis.

You are one of the few influencers out there that celebrates male sensuality very openly and that’s got people talking about you — what led to the decision to celebrate your body like this?
If you flip my life’s pages to 10 years ago, you would see that I was a very skinny, under confident, timid kind of a guy. Until one day I decided to pay attention to my body, and while I was at it I realised that those little changes in my body was giving me more confidence and was making me look good and I started to flaunt these changes. I feel very good about how I look now. And trust me I really find the male body very beautiful, if maintained well. Hence male sensuality should be celebrated. Go on and flaunt it if you have it.

In a patriarchal world where most people only look at women as sexual objects, you are reversing the trend intentionally — how do you deal with that kind of attention?
If it is a patriarchal world, let’s pay attention to men, I say. Let’s subvert this power play. And I also believe in equality. Why should only women be looked at as sexual objects? Let men also be looked at as sexual objects. And trust me the attention that you get is incredible. I enjoy the attention.

Fitness is your first priority, being an influencer the next — what after this?
To be an actor, an artiste and to have enough blessings and strength to maintain everything I have achieved and to only better myself!

The Tulu community has made Mumbai its second home, what does Mumbai mean to a Tulu like you, born and raised there?
Mumbai is my home, but yes, it is true I take a lot of pride in saying that I am Tulu and I am a Mangalorean at heart because that is how my parents raised me. My dad is the chairman in the local Bunts Sangha of our region and he is a strong believer and follower of Tulu culture. So, my home is very South Indian — the moment you enter my home you will feel this warmth and vibe of Mangalore.