DUBAI: Bollywood actress Nargis Fakhri is set to host the opening session of the XYoga Dubai Festival on Feb. 1, so yoga fans can expect to bend, stretch and breathe with the glamorous star herself. Fakhri has starred in Bollywood hits such as “Rockstar” and “Main Tera Hero” and also crossed over into Hollywood in 2015 film “Spy,” in which she appeared alongside Melissa McCarthy and Jude Law. The actress is a self-declared fitness enthusiast and will lead a session at the weekend festival alongside yoga practitioner Deepika Mehta. “Yoga has been a big part of my life for over a decade now — it helps me stay centered, focused and positive throughout the day,” Fakhri said in a statement. “It is not just about flexibility and fitness but also about will-power, mental strength and finding common ground with others,” she added. “As a devoted practitioner and student, I am really looking forward to learning from Deepika, who is one of the most innovative and inspirational yoga trainers. I’m also looking forward to immersing myself in the practice with yogis in Dubai.” Mehta is a household name in India, where she hosts a TV show called “Yoga City,” was a trainer on “The Biggest Loser” weight loss show and is the personal trainer of a bevvy of celebrities. The opening session that she will co-host signals the start of the free-to-attend two-day festival and, according to organizers, thousands of yoga enthusiasts are expected to converge on Dubai’s Kite Beach with the aim of achieving the “total synchronization of body, mind and soul.” The third edition of XYoga Dubai festival will offer fitness lovers the chance to try out various forms of the ancient practice, including animal yoga, vinyasa flow and acro yoga. The festival offers mixed classes, with ladies only sessions set to take place at the XDubai Studio. Yoga practitioners from around the world are set to host sessions at the festival, including Iranian-Canadian musician Babak Torabi, who performs alongside yoga classes across the world, and Emilie Mikulla, who has taught people the art of movement in Thailand, South Africa, San Francisco and Dubai. For more information, visit xyogadubai.com.