I wasn’t in London when Sakshi Sindwani stepped onto the set of her exclusive shoot with Khush Wedding, but the photographs tell me everything I need to know. Shot in winter light against lush, almost theatrical greens, the images illustrate authority and presence. Sakshi moves through the frame with ease and intention. There is no performance here, nor any attempt to soften or shrink. She meets the camera exactly where she is, occupying space with a confidence that feels innate rather than styled.
Distance, in this case, sharpens my view. Seen from afar, her energy is unmistakable. It’s a quality that has come to define the social media star and model on and off the runway, and one that lingers even when you aren’t in the room. When we finally speak, there’s a buoyancy in her voice that wasn’t there the first time I met her two years ago. Back then, she was neck-deep in the logistics and emotions of planning her wedding. Like any bride-to-be, she was balancing fittings and family expectations with the weight of stepping into a new identity. Now, two years into marriage with her high-school sweetheart, Raghav Arora, she sounds steadier and still exuberant.
Of Wedding & Marriage
For someone whose career has been built on authenticity and dismantling rigid ideas of beauty, size and self-worth, it makes sense that Sakshi would approach marriage with the same honesty. What surprised her most wasn’t romance or companionship, but how deeply intertwined the relationship became. “I knew marriage would be close,” she says, thoughtfully. “But I didn’t know that this person becomes an extension of you. I’ve never felt this kind of relationship with anyone else, not even my parents. He’s like my left limb.”
That level of closeness, she explains, doesn’t just happen, but it’s chosen. “Some people don’t choose it. We did. We became connected by soul, by mind, by heart.” With that connection came responsibility. “Everything changed. We became so much more responsible for each other. It’s about thinking of the other person before yourself and also as much as yourself.”
One of the biggest myths she had to unlearn was the idea that marriage dilutes love through compromise. “People say marriage means sacrifice, like you’re constantly giving things up,” she says. “But compromise exists in every romantic and platonic relationship if you want peace. Marriage isn’t unique that way.” What is non-negotiable, she insists, is friendship. “People say you don’t have to be best friends once you’re married. I completely disagree. You have to be best friends. There’s no way to survive life otherwise.”
“Love isn’t about constant romance,” she reflects. “It’s about safety. Respect. Letting go of ego.” She’s learned the power of forgiveness, of valuing the relationship over being right. “Arrogance and ego have no place in a healthy partnership. Respect is the foundation. You have to respect each other as human beings.”
That belief shaped not just her marriage, but also her wedding day, which became widely celebrated for how unapologetically Sakshi it felt. From the unique coral lehenga she chose to the deeper neckline she didn’t second-guess, Sakshi made decisions rooted in self-trust rather than approval. “I never wanted to be an ivory or red bride,” she says. “I wanted to feel joyful. That shade and that silhouette suited me. That’s who I am.” Staying true to herself wasn’t an act of rebellion but intention. “I kept reminding myself that I’m marrying the love of my life. Someone I’ve known my entire life, someone I want to grow old with. This moment is between me and him and our immediate family. What society thought didn’t matter.” She laughs softly. “I genuinely didn’t have the energy to care. And there were no negative thoughts.”
That confidence, she’s quick to clarify, wasn’t accidental but cultivated. “It had nothing to do with prepping for the wedding. It was years of training my mind to be relentlessly confident.” It’s a discipline she applies to every aspect of her life, from the altar to the gym.
Movement As Medicine
Beneath the mental discipline is a woman who treats fitness with the same reverence that others treat their morning coffee. “Fitness is the biggest form of self-love for me,” she says, and you can hear the conviction in her voice. “Ever since I was a young girl, I have been an extremely fit and athletic child. My father was extremely athletic and so was my sister. Fitness has been a part of my growing up, whether it was participating in multiple sports. I was a champion in tennis, played basketball. Now, I regularly go boxing, take several group classes like spinning, beyond my workouts. It’s not about body type or size or shape. For me, fitness is about physical and physiological growth. I don’t take it lightly at all.”
Her workout week is as varied as it is rigorous. Mondays start with boxing, Tuesdays are for weight training and light cardio, Wednesdays bring full cardio sessions. Thursday returns to boxing and weight training, Friday is reserved for lighter activities like walks or gentle gym sessions. “Saturdays are for proper HIIT crazy workouts or sports like badminton, tennis or pickleball. Then Sunday is usually an off day. I sometimes also take another off during the week when I’ve had a really hectic shoot schedule. But I try to maintain a very active week because that’s just ingrained in my body. I can’t survive without it. I love working out so much. I don’t do it for any other reason but because it gives me so much joy.”
Food, too, has shifted from battleground to balance. “I have not always had a great relationship with food. There was a time when I used to stress eat often. I tried every form of diet, as any curvy, fat girl does to lose weight. Food was always extreme for me. But now, I am very mindful about the food that I eat. Food feels like nutrition, something that’s fuelling my body. So the relationship has changed. I don’t overeat just to emotionally satisfy my cravings.”
Today, that mindfulness extends to how she approaches indulgence. “I don’t avoid it. I eat balanced food. If I’m craving something sweet, I have it and balance it with something healthy. Ultimately, I stick to the basics. Sugar and fried food is not good for you, no matter if you’re skinny or big. The fundamentals of food are clear to me. It’s why I’m consistent and eat mindfully. And for me, mindful means non-restrictive. Eating to fuel my body and give me energy to accomplish what I want.”
The Mind-Body Connection
Beyond physical fitness, Sakshi has integrated mental wellness practices into her daily routine, creating a holistic approach to self-care. “I do guided meditation as well as affirmations in the morning. Sometimes I listen to it while driving to the gym. There are times when I’ll just put it on my speaker, blast it while I’m getting ready. And it 100% aligns me.”
This mental work, she believes, is what makes everything else possible, from the healthy marriage, the consistent fitness routine to the unwavering self-assurance. Confidence, in the end, remains her through line. “Confidence stems from within. I was never reliant on anyone to tell me how to be confident. It comes from working on your health, your mind, your strength. Above all, how you show up in the world. In the early days, I believed in ‘fake it till you make it.’ I had to. I was young, innocent and learning. Over time, that confidence became real.”
Editor-In-Chief: Sonia Ullah
Photography: Gnd Photos
Creative Director: Manni Sahota
Fashion Editor: Vikas Rattu
Stylist: Style by P
Styling Assistant: Flossie Doherty
Bridal lehenga skirts: Pannaz Boutique
Makeup: Gini Bhogal
Hair: Manish Kumar Hair
Location: Barbican Centre
