Ram Kapoor gets trolled for bodyshaming Smriti Irani, says 'She was huge, my size...'

India.com

5 hours ago

Ram Kapoor, 51, in a Humans of Bombay chat (reshared by Brut India), opens up on physical expectations in TV. He says, 'Success often comes with an unspoken demand to look a certain way,' highlighting challenges faced by 'overweight actors.' Smriti Irani's comparison
He brings up Smriti Irani, 49, his former Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi co-star:'She was my size as a woman and probably more successful than me…' he remarks. He notes her dramatic weight gain over Kyunki's eight-year run:
'She was as big as I am… We were equally successful.' Compliment or condescension?
Kapoor claims, 'If she had continued in television, she would have probably been much bigger than me.' He credits her political pivot for her departure but asserts she 'achieved success despite all that weight.'
He contrasts this with men: 'Now, if a guy my size wants to make it big, it will be difficult.' Watch the video here View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Brut India (@brut.india) Internet fires back
Social media users flooded reactions, accusing Kapoor of body-shaming, missing nuance, or expressing misplaced pride.
One of the users commented, 'Did he just say success is directly proportional to the LITERAL SIZE of a human being?'
Another one complimented Irani and said, 'She looked absolutely beautiful in all her sizes…'
One more added, 'What was this question? Why do we keep bringing a woman and her size in a conversation with a male?'
Another social media user wrote a long note that read, 'She legit acted in her pregnancies. And her 'size', which, no offence, she looked absolutely beautiful in all her sizes on the show, actually suited the character due to the character having multiple children, then going on to have grandchildren, etc. It never looked out of place, etc She played many roles…the bahu, the wife, the mother, the sister in law, the grandmother; her body suited it all. Her acting in the drama was brilliant for its time. There were only a few dramas that set the foundation, and this was a huge, huge first brick in that foundation. There have been countless imitations which have become caricature versions of these key shows, but these dramas are still brilliant, and she did her roles so well. Ram…seriously, this was not it. Disappointed.' Legacy of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi
Launched in 2000, Ekta Kapoor's soap became a cultural phenomenon, led by Smriti's iconic Tulsi Virani. Though a reboot is in the works, delays mean it's likely still some time away.
Smriti reflected on the show's 25th anniversary, saying, '25 years ago, a story entered Indian homes and quietly became part of countless lives… Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi wasn't just a show—it was emotion, memory, ritual…'
What began as an attempt to underscore success divorced from appearance spiralled into a discourse on gender, body image, and respect. Kapoor's well-meaning words were lost in translation, reminding us how sensitive and charged such conversations remain.