#NationalSportsDay: Did you know Mreenal Deshraj’s father Kiran K Deshraj is the founder of Maharashtra Powerlifting Association and Maharashtra Arm Wrestling Association?

August 29 is observed as National Sports Day every year. The day celebrated on the birth anniversary of hockey legend, Major Dhyan Chand honours athletes of different sporting activities - Jyothi Venkatesh

Naagin and Ishqbaaz actor Mreenal Deshraj talks about the day, and the sports she used to play during her growing-up years. She also shares his opinion on why apart from gymming, actors too should play some sport for all-round physical and mental health.

“My father Mr Kiran Kumar Deshraj was the founder of the Maharashtra Powerlifting Association and Maharashtra Arm Wrestling Association. Naturally growing up in his care meant being physically very fit. All of my siblings and I used to participate in a variety of strength sports,” she reveals.

Over the years, Mreenal shares having developed a more regimented lifestyle, which means it is hard to fit her schedule into team events and team sports.

“Working out in the gym is easy, your ‘teammates’ are the equipment. At most, you hire a trainer. Either way, you are your own boss and you show up when you want to and you have the privilege and freedom to train when you want to.

But with team activities, however, enjoyable they may be, the schedule becomes very tight and as an actor, this can be very difficult to manage,” she adds.

Contrary to what the image portrayed is, actors are not their own bosses, says Mreenal. “We work for producers, directors, etc. We don’t call the shots.

That means if we’re putting in an eight-hour or twelve-hour shifts and if there is a game being played on that day, we will be absent. There's no choice. So perhaps that is why working out is glamorised so much by actors. We don't have any choice,” she adds.

The actor shares about a lot of new things happening. “I know there is a football league with male celebrities now and it is a trending topic on social media.

There is a Women's Cricket League as well which is going to begin soon and I will be participating in that.

So yes, when time allows all of us would love to indulge in various team sports, but it is not practical for that to be the only source of activity for us,” she mentions.

As far as her love for training goes, Mreenal is very much so invested in weight training, but she also love swimming.

“I have recently begun training for squash which is really challenging. So between cricket, swimming, squash, and weight training, I am very occupied, engaged, and happily busy,” she ends.