Rishto Se Bandhi Gauri Actor Savi Thakur on International Yoga Day: The way PM Modi has championed yoga on a global scale really pushed me to look at it differently

They say some routines aren’t just habits  they’re anchors that keep us steady. For actor Savi Thakur, yoga has become exactly that. Known for his role as Rudra in Sun Neo’s show Rishto Se Bandhi Gauri, the actor opens up on the occasion of International Yoga Day about how yoga slowly became an inseparable part of his daily routine.

Talking about his yoga journey, Savi shared, “Yoga wasn’t love at first stretch. I got into it when my workouts started feeling incomplete — like my body was strong, but my mind was all over the place. I tried yoga just to feel a little more grounded... and surprisingly, it stuck. Now it’s my go-to ritual before I face the world. There was this one morning I skipped yoga because I had an early call time, and the whole day felt off. I was edgy, tired, couldn’t focus. That’s when I realised yoga isn’t just a practice anymore, it’s like that morning cup of chai I need it to feel like myself.”

He also opened up about how yoga helps him during high-stress shoot days, “There are days on set of my current show Rishto Se Bandhi Gauri when we are doing emotionally intense scenes crying, breaking down, switching moods and it drains us. In those moments, a short breathing session between takes resets my headspace. It helps me stay connected to the scene without letting it mess with me off-screen.”

The Rishto Se Bandhi Gauri actor also credits PM Modi’s global push for yoga as a big influence, “Honestly, the way PM Modi has championed yoga on a global scale really pushed me to look at it differently. He made yoga cool again not just for India, but the world. It’s not just something older people do anymore it’s powerful, purposeful, and performance-enhancing. People say “I don’t have time,” but the truth is — we make time for what matters. For me, even 20 minutes before a shoot makes a huge difference. Some days it's just stretching and breathing. But showing up on the mat, even in chaos that’s what counts.”

Rishto Se Bandhi Gauri is the story of Gauri, a kind and strong girl who follows her faith. Her life changes when she’s forced into a marriage she didn’t choose. Now, as the daughter-in-law of the Bundela family, she faces many challenges. With courage and wisdom, she tries to handle family issues and make her own path. The show stars Eshaa Pathak, Savi Thakur, and Swati Shah, and airs every day at 8:00 PM on Sun Neo.