At 18, Upasana Kamineni was 98 kg and tried every diet. She was also 'body-shamed' after marrying actor Ram Charan. How did Sadhguru and spirituality change her lifestyle?

Telugu superstar Ram Charan and businesswoman Upasana Konidela are one of the most loved couples in the film industry. Their relationship began with friendship and eventually turned into marriage. Over the years, they have seen several ups and downs together and have continued to stand by each other. The couple are now proud parents of three children. An old interview of Upasana is currently gaining attention, in which she spoke about her struggles with body image long before she married the Peddi actor.

Upasana Kamineni struggled with her weight at 18

Long before becoming a successful entrepreneur and marrying Ram Charan, Upasana had a difficult relationship with food and her body. At the age of 18, she weighed 95 kg and described her childhood obesity as “chubbisity” in an interview with Femina in 2017.

Upasana recalled growing up in America and later moving to London, where she decided to become more active.




"I was 95 kg, so I decided to cut carbs completely. That didn’t work. So I cut out rice and wheat, and ate oats instead, and that worked so well for me. Then I added a bit of high protein. I walked to college instead of using my car, or a cab or the Tube. I believe if you do 10,000 steps a day and eat only when your body tells you, you’re set for life," she said.

Upasana also tried several forms of exercise, including yoga, weight training and running. Over time, she realised that exercise alone was not enough for her. She felt that what she ate had a bigger impact on her weight and health.

Food became a way to deal with homesickness for Upasana

Upasana's weight gain was not simply about food or a lack of exercise. In another interaction with iDream, she explained that homesickness played a major role when she was living in America.

She recalled being happiest in some ways but also dealing with a different kind of emotional pressure. Being away from her family made her eat more, and she eventually reached her highest weight at around 18 or 19.

Upasana later understood that she had been using food to cope with missing her family. Once she recognised the emotional connection, she was able to work on changing the habit.

Her weight also became a subject of public discussion after she married Ram Charan in 2012. Upasana recalled facing harsh comments from some of his fans, with some questioning whether she was good enough for the actor.

She admitted to Femina that, "I got a lot of flak in the beginning, and some fans were very mean. They spoke about me not being good enough for him. I was hurt, of course, since I wasn’t exposed to anything like this before. But then I became tough and thick-skinned; it made me stronger."

Upasana has also spoken about being called “chubby” after her wedding. While she acknowledged that such comments could be hurtful, she said she eventually learned to focus more on her own values and the opinions of people who genuinely cared about her.

How Sadhguru and spirituality changed Upasana's lifestyle

Upasana's journey eventually moved beyond diets, workouts and weight loss. Despite having access to leading dieticians, nutritionists, supplements and fitness experts, she realised that a lasting lifestyle change had to come from within.

She described this shift as mindful wellness, saying that changing one's lifestyle is ultimately a matter of the mind rather than simply depending on experts or following another diet plan.

Spirituality also became an important part of her and Ram Charan's approach to wellness. Upasana revealed that the couple attended a course by Deepak Chopra and regularly listened to Sadhguru, also known as Jaggi Vasudev. They also read books related to spirituality and mindfulness as part of their efforts to build a stronger mind.

Her approach to food has also been influenced by this focus on mindful living. Earlier, talking to Curly Tales, Upasana has spoken about the importance of nutritious food and her appreciation for millets. She has also said that she makes sure her daughter eats ragi in different forms.

For Upasana, the journey has therefore gone beyond simply losing weight. From struggling with food and body image as a teenager to dealing with public criticism after marrying Ram Charan, she has gradually developed an approach centred on understanding her body, making sustainable lifestyle changes and paying attention to mental well-being.