Sunil Grover: Why Playing Characters Feels Like Meditation

Sunil Grover's pitch-perfect impressions make millions laugh, but the beloved comedian recently shared something deeper about why he loves disappearing into characters.

In a candid interview with Film Companion Studios, Grover admitted he feels more comfortable playing someone else than being himself. "I don't know who I am. I just know I enjoy being someone else," he said, explaining that pulling off a character authentically gives him "a sense of meditation."

For Grover, stepping into a role means forgetting himself completely for those moments. The experience brings what he calls "genuine satisfaction," a feeling that goes far beyond making audiences laugh.

Psychologists say Grover is describing something many people experience without realizing it. Dr. Sakshi Mandhyan, a psychologist and founder of Mandhyan Care, explains that becoming a character gives the nervous system a break from constant self-evaluation.

When someone inhabits a defined role, there's less pressure to defend who they are. The brain gets clear instructions on what to do and how to behave, and that clarity feels calming.

"This is not always avoidance," Dr. Mandhyan notes. "It can also be a way to explore parts of the self that feel hard to access directly."

What Grover describes matches what psychologists call a flow state. Time softens, self-criticism quiets, and the brain shifts from monitoring to full engagement. These states reduce activity in brain regions linked to self-judgment and rumination.

The key difference between healthy exploration and avoidance, Dr. Mandhyan explains, comes down to what happens when the role ends. If someone returns to themselves without feeling empty or unsettled, the exploration is healthy.

Why This Inspires

Grover's honesty opens a door for anyone who has ever felt more comfortable in a role than in their own skin. Whether it's acting, teaching, hosting, or any activity that creates full absorption, these moments of flow offer genuine mental relief.

The comedian's words remind us that losing ourselves temporarily in something we love isn't escape. It's often how we find the parts of ourselves we didn't know were there, one character and one moment of flow at a time.