Vidya Balan Talks About Being Body Shamed And Self-Love
Over the years, there has most certainly been a radical change in Bollywood. The movies that our industry is churning out depict women in a less stereotypical and sexist fashion. More importantly though, women-centric movies are on the rise. Even though they might be considered a different genre and the actresses who work in those might often get type-casted, filmmakers are more conscious now than they were before. This is proof that progress is being made, albeit slowly. Talking about the way Bollywood has changed its perception towards women, Hauterrfly spoke to Vidya Balan who said that women are now being seen as human beings and not just their gender. Her take is refreshing and on point.
Vidya Balan can be considered one of the pioneers of female-centric movies. From Dirty Picture to Kahaani, her unapologetic and bold personality shines through all the characters she picks. In her latest movie, Sherni, Vidya plays the character of a female forest officer who leads the team of trackers and locals to capture a tigress alive. She says this movie expanded her understanding of the definition of a strong woman.
In this exclusive interview, we asked Vidya how much change has seen in the attitude that Bollywood has towards women. In response, she said that the changes we see in the industry are a reflection of the changes being made in our society and that so many female-centric movies being made is proof of that. It’s such an interesting point and we couldn’t agree with her more.
Vidya said, “You know the change that you see in society is the change that gets reflected in the Hindi Cinema also, whether on-screen or off-screen. The proof of that change is in the fact that there are more female-centric films being made and being consumed. The more successful these films are, the more it’ll just not remain a trend. It’ll be something that is here to stay. There’s definitely a change and people are more conscious. For example, the portrayal of women. I think what’s interesting to me, as an actor, is that now women are seen as human beings, as people, and not just as women and that’s a huge change.”
Also Read: Meet K M Abharna, The IFS Officer Who Inspired Vidya Balan’s Character In Sherni
Moving on, Vidya talks about being body-shamed and how she has been judged and scrutinized for various things. She also talks about the one quality that she has that makes her an inspiration to all women.
She said, “I think I’ve been body shamed a lot because I’ve always been a big girl. I’ve been judged a lot for various things. Human beings are constantly judging each other and women get judged that much more and then as a public figure we’re getting judged even more. So I have faced the brunt of that. But I’ve realized that you’re not going to be able to change yourself to suit everyone’s fancy. And therefore, the only person you need to worry about is you.” Further adding, “I think I am shameless. Nothing can shame me. No one can shame me. That’s because I love myself. Sitting here today, at the age of 42, I am able to say this to you. It’s taken a lot of work.”
Amongst all the many things we should learn from Vidya, one of the most important things is self-love and not needing anyone’s validation. She is real and bold. And that’s how all of us should aim to be like. More power to her!
