Aspire to Be a Giver. A Giver of Love, Good Vibes and Strength - Balraj Singh Khehra (TV Actor & Roadies Winner)

21 Sarfarosh, a real-life story of 21 soldiers of the 36th Sikh regiment of the British Indian Army. They defended an army outpost at Saragarhi in the North-West Frontier Province against an onslaught by over 10,000 Pashtun and Orakzai tribes in September 1897

Tell us something about your background and journey.

I hail from a small village in Punjab, Khadoor Sahib. I belong to the family of farmers where our land is considered to be the only treasure.

At the age of 13, I represented Punjab and won Best Physique Competition held at Andhra Pradesh. In 2013, I bagged the title of Mr Punjab and won Roadies X4 in 2016. I have done screen debut in the role of Buta Singh in 21 Sarfarosh- Saragarhi (2018), bhangra pa le (2020) and few commercials. Professionally, I am a certified personal trainer and a physiotherapist. 

I owned "Fitness Freaks" in Jalandhar through which I along with my the team aim to provide personal training to people to make them fit, physically, mentally and spiritually.

I started from zero and my journey until this point was not easy. I had to make many compromises in my life. After twelfth, I wanted to do engineering, but I had to choose B.com because I couldn't afford the fees and books of engineering. There were many social challenges as well as pressure from my family to prove myself. A dream does not become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination, God's grace and hard work. 

After years of hard work, I am at such a position where I can extend my help to those who need assistance in solving their personal problems. I trust and accept God and his beliefs, as well as KARMA. I trust that doing the right thing is the best thing to do.

How did you feel when you became the winner of Roadies X4?

In childhood, I have always starved for each crumb. But later, God has bestowed on me far better than my own expectations. MTV based ‘Roadies’ acted as a turning point in my career. I was the first Sikh holder to grab the title of “Roadies X4” in 2016. When the result of Roadies X4 was announced, I was so amused and awestruck when they announced my name. 

I just feel that I am worth the price. For this, I will always be thankful to God, my family, Karan Kundra and to all those who prayed for my success. People say right " The fruit of hard work is always sweet " maybe this is the finest example for that.

How was your experience with the show '21 Sarfarosh'?

In the era, where the youth is getting disconnected from their roots, I felt blessed to be a part of such a story which has left an unforgettable mark on the pages of our renowned Indian history. This is a real-life story of 21 soldiers of the 36th Sikh regiment of the British Indian Army. They defended an army outpost at Saragarhi in the North-West Frontier Province against an onslaught by over 10,000 Pashtun and Orakzai tribes in September 1897. 

Whenever I think about this incident, I feel more proud to be part of Sikh Community and I am glad that I got this opportunity to platform the character of one of the sepoys, Buta Singh. When people learn this information, it creates a fundamental change in the way they think about the Sikhs. So, I am very grateful to the team of 21 Sarfarosh for bringing up this amid public to ensure that this epic battle of saragarhi is not forgotten. 

We have received worldwide exposure for this and this is a feeling which cannot be expressed in the form of any words. It’s a shared history and heritage that we should be proud of.

What are your other fields of interest?

Life without interest is like food without salt. Other than acting, I spent most of the time in being physically, mentally and spiritually fit. Travelling is my other passion. Whenever I have an opportunity to visit a new place, whether a village, city, mountain or seaside, I never miss it. It is so thrilling to see a new place and meet different kind of people.

Being a fitness freak, tell us about your fitness mantra?

Health and fitness go hand in hand. We have to stay healthy; we have to keep fit. Love your body, love your self. Being healthy does not merely refer to exercising regularly; it is a much vaster concept which involves spiritual stability and mental balance, which can be attained by simple exercises, healthy meal and meditation. In this world, there are many takers and very few givers. 

We should aspire to be a Giver. A giver of Love, a giver of good vibes and a giver of strength. With this, we will receive happiness and blessings from all which will automatically add happiness to our life. Believe in God, Be a giver and stay happy.

What are some major misconceptions about diet and exercises?

Today's generation blindly follows Google Coach, which may or may not benefit your health. So be sure, before experimenting those hacks on your body. It's like you take different medicines for different ailments, similarly, there are different exercises for people with different body types. "The More Exercise You Do, The Better"; this is the biggest misconception people have. You need at least 48 hours between strength training workouts of certain body parts to allow muscles to recover. 

Overtraining will also put you at risk of injury and can compromise your immune system, which may end up costing you weeks away from the workouts while you recover. Rest days are an important part of the exercise, and the one day off won't do anything to your progress, so don't worry yourself too much. Being fit doesn't mean you have to have a muscular body. Stay happy & Love yourself. At last, Your happiness is what truly matters most.




Interviewed by - Amisha Dhameja