Gul Panag, who has always been an advocate of freedom and living life on one’s own terms, told indianexpress.com, “In a patriarchal society like ours, it’s imperative that women empower themselves financially, because that is the only real route to freedom and empowerment.”

Gul Panag wears many hats; but whether it is being an actor, entrepreneur, or a mother, she believes in giving her 100 per cent to everything on hand. With a renewed vigour, the Good Bad Girl actor is busy advocating the need to use clean energy sources for the betterment of the environment with her latest initiative — Sunfuel Electric, an electric car charging infrastructure company, of which she is a co-founder.

“Sustainability starts with the air we breathe, and the quickest way to clean up this air is to switch to zero emission vehicles. We are already on track to produce most of our power from renewable clean sources of energy. So the argument that electric vehicles are powered by dirty power won’t hold much longer. Each one of us needs to take little steps in the day-to-day course of our lives for it to collectively impact the big picture,” she told indianexpress.com.

In an exclusive chat, Gul, 43, spoke about her likes, everyday life, and her aspirations. Excerpts:

What is keeping you busy at the moment?
Promoting my films Ghost and Good Bad Girl. And producing films. And working on building partnerships and communities at Sun Fuel.

How do you describe your pandemic experiences?
It was an opportunity to reset and adapt to the new normal. It was also an opportunity to re-evaluate and re-prioritise life in general. Grateful for the time we got together as a family.

You love to travel; your social media is proof. What drives your passion?
Seeking out new experiences and widening my horizon and perspective.

In between work, travel, and family, how do you ensure to workout?
I wake up at 5 am most days, and get the workout done first thing in the morning. Planning it for the end of the day doesn’t work for me.

What does your typical workout routine includes?
A mix of strength, flexibility, and endurance. But I always start Monday with a run.

What does your diet look like?
I eat a balanced diet that’s achievable wherever I am. I try and avoid processed food, refined flour, and sugar.

How important is it for women to be active in entrepreneurial roles?
Women must be active in all walks of life including but not limited to entrepreneurship. In a patriarchal society like ours, it’s imperative that women empower themselves financially because that is the only real route to freedom and empowerment.

What’s your idea of perfection?
There is no perfection. Seeking perfection in my opinion is setting one self up for disappointment. The ability to adapt and thrive in all circumstances is more important.

Your opinion on the changing perceptions of beauty, if any and how it helps shape the society?
Perception of beauty has always been a function of conditioning. As conditioning changes, perception of beauty changes. It’s highly subjective and what is considered duty today will probably not be considered beauty tomorrow. One only has to see the perception of what is considered to be an ideal physique and how much that itself has changed in the last two decades to come to that conclusion!

Take 5

Favourite cheat meal
Nirula’s Big Boy Burger

Favourite family outing
Movie at the theatre

How do you fight boredom?
I have no time for it.

How do you fight laziness?
By being disciplined.

Your go-to mantra for health
Fit for life