How Sanya Malhotra found her 'Zenergy’ with Bree Matcha

For years, actor Sanya Malhotra began her mornings with a cup of coffee, a ritual that offered comfort and reflection. But even a single cup would leave her feeling jittery and drained once the caffeine wore off. 

But it was part of a ritual, one filled with quiet moments of writing and mindfulness. It wasn’t just about the coffee; it was about the peace it offered.

When she decided to take a break from coffee, she explored matcha as an alternative. Matcha is a premium green tea finely ground into a vibrant powder. Unlike traditional teas that are steeped, matcha is whisked directly into hot water to create a smooth, frothy drink. It is rooted in the Japanese tea ceremony where preparing, serving, and sipping matcha is as significant as the drink itself.

“I started reading about matcha and its benefits. It has less caffeine than coffee. It’s the only caffeinated drink that contains l-theanine, which relaxes your body, and ensures you don’t feel jitters or anxiety, or you don’t crash afterwards,” Malhotra says. 

Having lived in Japan as a young girl, she always had a fascination for matcha—the matcha KitKats, desserts, and was attracted by the vibrant green colour.

'Zenergy' with matcha

Malhotra says, when she switched to matcha, she began seeing a huge difference. “It gave me sustained, calm energy. I call it “zen-energy”, as I felt zen. I told my best friend about it, and she was hooked, too,” she observes.

Soon, tea parties with friends gave way to matcha parties, and Malhotra started making match lattes and experimenting with recipes. Along the way, she started looking for matcha brands in India that matched the Japanese quality and standards. 

In India, most brands offered the culinary blend of matcha, which lacked the vibrant green hue and smooth, less bitter taste of the ceremonial grade.

When her search for high-quality matcha came up short, Malhotra saw more than a gap. She saw a promising business opportunity.

Her team introduced her to Dr Kunal Shah and Siddharth Shah, wellness entrepreneurs and founders of Essenzaa Nutrition, a Mumbai-based company that manufactures and exports herbal and nutraceutical formulations, and thus Bree Matcha was born. 

Launched this week, Bree Matcha offers Everyday Matcha for daily energy and balance; Ceremonial Matcha, for traditionalists and purists; and a Gift Set with matcha accessories for a complete experience. They are available on the Bree Matcha website and are priced from Rs 510 onwards.

Malhotra is involved in every aspect of the brand—from taste to packaging and design. 

“Our audience is anyone from 18 to 50+ years of age, who drinks caffeine. Our focus will also be on educating people on how to make their beverage properly so that they can try new recipes and get used to the taste,” she says.

Bree Matcha sources premium matcha from Kagoshima, Japan, one of the world’s finest matcha-growing regions and packages it in India. 

Is this the beginning of a foray into entrepreneurship?

Malhotra is clear that her passion has to translate into purpose. “If I’m not fully into something, I cannot convince myself to be a part of it. It’s the same with films; no matter how big the project is, if the script isn’t right, I’ll wait for something that resonates,” she says.

Pushing herself out of her comfort zone

Malhotra’s journey in films has been shaped by stories that move her, rather than just roles that promise visibility.

Last year, she earned critical acclaim for her role in Mrs., a remake of the Malayalam film The Great Indian Kitchen, where she portrayed a newly married woman navigating the clash between her personal dreams and deeply entrenched patriarchal norms.

Does she think feminist portrayals in Hindi cinema have evolved?

While she points out that there are many films in this category, Mrs. resonated because people identified with the character. 

“I meet so many women who tell me they feel this film was about them. After Mrs., I feel more confident in believing in my instincts and myself as an actor. I've always kept my values in the forefront when picking scripts, but now I feel even more confident about telling stories I truly believe in,” she says.

From Dangal, Badhaai Ho, and Photograph to Sam Bahadur, Jawan, Love Hostel, and more—Malhotra has showcased her versatility with every role. 

Was the diverse role selection conscious, or did it happen naturally?

“I think it started with Dangal. I had to cut my hair, learn wrestling for a year, and saw the audience’s response to the film and characters, and the love we received. That became my conditioning as an actor," she says.

Malhotra decided not to put herself in a box but to keep finding different ways to challenge herself as an actor.

“Whenever I get challenging opportunities, I think it's going to teach me something new about acting and push me out of my comfort zone,” she adds. For example, in Pataakha, Sanya Malhotra plays a loud and spiteful girl--a character she was sceptical about initially but absolutely fell in love with during the audition.

Among all the films she has acted in so far, Mrs. has been the most challenging. 

“We shot the film in linear order, and every day I felt that light leaving me. I felt trapped in that house where we were shooting. It was definitely draining, not just for me but for the entire team,” she shares.

Learning to let it flow

The OTT revolution has transformed opportunities for actors and Malhotra is no exception.

“OTT has definitely changed my life and career - starting with Pagglait and Ludo, then Meenakshi Sundareshwar. OTT is such a beautiful platform that increases the ecosystem for creators. I just hope it gets better from here, especially since our industry is going through major changes,” she notes.

Malhotra says her best acting advice came from Shah Rukh Khan who told her not to think too much.

“I agree I am an overthinker. If I have the character in hand, then I let it flow instead of overthinking," she says.