Click it and Unblock the Notifications
Vidya Balan Recalls The Time When Her Weight Became A 'National Issue; 'I Thought My Body Has Betrayed Me'
Vidya Balan has always been vocal about her experiences of being fat-shamed, and how she struggled with body image issues. During her early days in the film industry, the Padma Shri awardee and National Film Award-winning actress was often ridiculed for her dressing sense and called names by people.
Recently, in an interview with ETimes, The Dirty Picture actress opened up about how she overcame these insecurities over a period of time.
Recalling her weight had become a national issue, Vidya said, "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."
She continued, "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. I have had hormonal issues all my life. For the longest time, I hated my body. I thought it had betrayed me. On the days I was under the pressure of looking my best, I would bloat up and I would be so angry and frustrated."
Speaking about how she got past her body image issues, Vidya told the tabloid, "What happened is that I began to love and accept myself a little more each day and therefore, I became more acceptable to people. They began to shower me with love and accolades and appreciation and all of that. Over time, I accepted that my body is the only thing that is keeping me alive because the day my body stops functioning, I am not going to be around. I have a lot of gratitude for my body. It doesn't matter what I have been through, I am alive because of this body. It's blood and bones. With each day I have begun to love and accept myself more, but it's not been easy. You have to fake it till you make it."
The actress said that she is no longer bothered about what people say about her looks.
"The length of your hair, the thickness of your arms, curves, height don't matter; what matters is who you are as a person. When you appreciate the person that you are, every imperfection looks small; but it doesn't strike you when you are loathing and hating yourself. It's a very precious and tough lesson that I have been through. I have realised, it is not people judging you but rather how you judge yourself. We all need to be cautious when we are bringing up children, the colour of the skin, weight, especially with girls," Vidya concluded on an inspiring note.
Workwise, the actress will next be seen in Amit Masurkar's Sherni. The film explores the man-animal conflict and has Vidya essaying the role of a forest officer.
