CHENNAI, TAMIL NADU, 07/06/2026 : Opening of the 4th Pilates Studio in ECR, Chennai on Saturday. Photo : B. Jothi Ramalingam / The Hindu.
| Photo Credit: JOTHI RAMALINGAM B
Not long ago, pilates in India was largely associated with celebrities on social media and aspirational fitness. Today, practitioners say the conversations inside studios are steered towards seeking better posture, mobility, recovery and mind-body connection.As The Pilates Studio, co founded by father-daughter duo Namrata and Samir Purohit, opens its fourth Chennai location on East Coast Road, its founders say awareness around the practice has evolved considerably over the last decade. “People first used to work out to look a certain way. Today, they work out not only to look a certain way, but also to feel a certain way,” says Namrata at the launch. While celebrity endorsements helped introduce many Indians to the practice, Namrata says popularity has grown significantly since she launched her first standalone studio in Mumbai in 2011. “We have more Gen Z clients and a lot more men. Sports personalities are also increasingly turning to pilates because they’ve understood the value of how it adds to their fitness regime,” she says.
