10 Bollywood Celebrities on Coping With Body Image Issues

Believe it or not, we are each our own worst critic, injecting our sense of self-esteem with healthy doses of self-doubt. "Am I skinny enough?", "Am I sexy enough?", we are often plagued with questions targeting our understanding of the 'real self', in search of the path to attain our 'ideal self'. And, in the glamour world, especially—with a keen eye on being 'in shape' and seemingly 'flawless'—female actors have continually found themselves on the receiving end of criticism. 

While most of us are in awe of film stars, with a secret desire to have access to their coveted collection of designer clothes—and a vision to look as 'slim, prim, and proper' as they do—remind yourself: they ain't perfect either, and they certainly struggle with their own set of insecurities, ones they may choose to conceal from you. In the age of social media, fat-shaming, and body dysmorphia, a bunch of celebrities have spoken about their struggle with their body image. 

 

Parineeti Chopra

 

When she started out in the industry in 2011, Parineeti Chopra was far from the approved Bollywood body type. In an interview, the actor revealed, "I was not happy with the way I used to look. I didn’t have the confidence and the freedom to wear what I wanted. I was always restricted by clothes. I would see how I looked in photographs and on-screen and constantly felt, 'Oh my God, I wish I was looking better'. I always used to feel that, and many people used to ask me, 'Are you comfortable with your body and are you trying to make a statement by your body type?' And I would be like, 'Please, no, this is what I am'. I was trying to lose weight, but I never went to the gym. I never worked out, I never did anything that would help me lose weight." 

 

Sonakshi Sinha

 

In an exclusive interview with Cosmo, the Dabangg actor said, "You know, I was always an overweight child. I used to be 95 kilos in school. People bullied me, and the boys called me names. When you’re that young, you don’t understand why you are not being able to lose weight. You don’t know why you are made this way. And then you start blaming yourself for a lot of things. And that can really affect you. What matters is how quickly you can ignore it and bounce back."

 

Priyanka Chopra

 

As a guest co-host on The View, Priyanka revealed, "Before I became an actor, I met a producer about the possibility of acting. I was a beauty pageant winner at that time. And, he said that everything was wrong with me. He said my nose was not proportionate, the shape of my body was not proportionate...There is such a false perception about what women should look like and what our bodies should look like. Especially when you are in the business, you put on a couple of pounds and people are like body shaming you. It happens. Christmas happens to all of us. I am an Indian. I have Holi, I have Diwali, I have hundred holidays, and my body fluctuates, and you know what, I am fine with it." 

Admitting that women's—and men's—bodies experience changes as they age, she said, "Well, I won't lie that I don't get affected by it. My body has changed as I've gotten older, just as everyone's body does, and I've had to adapt mentally as well with like, OK, this is what it looks like now, this is what I look like now. It's alright, catering to my 'now' body and not my 10-or 20-years-ago body."

 

Sonam Kapoor

 

In conversation with Buzzfeed, Sonam said, "Of course, scrutiny of female bodies isn't new, or even restricted to celebrities. I mean, raise your hand if you've ever been called 'healthy' by a relative, or been given unsolicited advice by a friend about how to lose weight." She went on to add, "Like every girl, I spent many nights through adolescence leaning into my bedroom mirror, wondering why my body looked nothing like it should. Why does my belly crease? Why do my arms jiggle? Why am I not fair? Why are there dark patches under my eyes? Why am I taller than boys my age? Do stretch marks ever go away? Will this cellulite stay forever? The ball is in the media's court to celebrate fit bodies rather than thin ones, and to know the difference. I know now that there's nothing wrong with stretch marks, cellulite, or scars. They're markers of our growth. There's beauty in their realness."

 

Alia Bhatt

 

Not a 'skinny-girl' when she set out to join Bollywood, Alia Bhatt had to lose the extra kilos to star in Karan Johar's Student of the Year. "To feel healthy from the inside takes effort. For that, following a basic workout regime is necessary, even if it’s just a daily walk," she told a leading magazine in an interview, back in 2016. 

 

Vidya Balan

 

The veteran actor, who has been criticised for her weight and fashion choices, time and again, revealed, "For the longest time, I hated my body. It was important for me to have gone through what I did. It was very public and at that time it was so insurmountable. I come from a non-film family. There was no one to tell me that these phases don't last. My weight issue had become a national issue. I have always been a 'fat girl', I wouldn't say that I am at a stage where my fluctuating weight doesn't bother me anymore at all. But, I have come a long way."

 

Ileana D'Cruz

 

Ileana confessed that she has been faced with comments about her imperfect body since she was 12 years old. "I went through body-shaming right from the time I was 12. I had just hit puberty, and growing up you are hit with these weird comments. And people are passing comments about your body and saying, 'Oh My God, why is your butt so big?' And I am like, 'What do you mean?'" She added, "What you feel about yourself is most important. And it's something I tell myself every single day."

 

Lisa Haydon 

 

Yup, she makes it to the list too—here's why. "People always think that if you’re on the larger side or you’re overweight, then you develop a complex. But I think being a really skinny kid gives you a complex too. I just remember being picked on for being a toothpick. Really skinny and really tall. Eventually, you fill out and then, you tend to not put on weight when you’re older. But, when you’re younger and if you’re really thin, people just make fun of you," she admitted. 

 

Jacqueline Fernandez

 

Touted as one of the fittest celebrities in the industry, Jacqueline, too, has had to deal with body image issues over the years. In an interview, the actor said, "I dress according to my body type. I like my legs so I don't mind showing them off. But I hate my arms, and when I have the choice, I always go for clothes that highlight my legs over my upper body."

 

Deepika Padukone

 

The 83 actor has often voiced her opinion on the objectification of women by members of the media. In an open letter addressing the problem, she wrote, "I have no issue celebrating my body, and I have never shied away from anything on-screen to portray a character. My issue is you propagating the objectification of a REAL person and not a character being played. Sure, dissect my characters if you wish—if it is of so much interest, then discuss the character’s cup size and leg length if it is relevant to making the role convincing. All I am asking for is respect as a woman off-screen."