Vidya Balan Recalls Being Asked To Look ‘Younger' Than Shahid Kapoor In Kismat Konnection
Vidya Balan revealed that before she did Kismat Konnection, she received a call from someone asking her to lose weight and ensure she looked younger than Shahid Kapoor.
Bollywood actress Vidya Balan recently opened up about experiencing body shaming in the film industry. While acknowledging that things have improved over the years, she recalled she was once asked to look 'younger' than her male co-star Shahid Kapoor for the 2008 film Kismat Konnection. She said that she received a call from someone who reminded her that Shahid is two years younger than her, and that she would have to lose weight to make sure she looks younger than him.
While speaking with Filmfare, Vidya Balan said, 'There was this chatter that you have to look young if you want to work with some of the actors. I remember before I did Kismat Konnection, someone called me and said Shahid is two years younger than you. And you are being cast opposite him. Therefore you have to shed weight and make sure you look even younger than him. And of course the world has changed now."
She further added, 'Until 2019, on every single film, I'd get a call from the producer, director. They would ask for a meeting and they would say 'Can you shed some weight?' I would be like 'Listen, I am not sitting on my haunches doing nothing. If I could, I would do it for myself, forget any film!' But those things are not nice. If you want someone with a different kind of body, go to that person. You want someone like me with my kind of person, then come to me. Because even for the most regular character, they would want me to be thinner."
She further added that there was a phase when she had put on a lot of weight. 'And I was exercising like a beast. And today there is the awareness that I was actually harming myself., My body was in distress. I was so frustrated. I was barely eating. I was killing it in the gym. And I kept feeling like Oh maybe I am not pushing myself enough," said Vidya Balan.
Kismat Konnection, starring Vidya Balan and Shahid Kapoor, was directed by Aziz Mirza. The film was released on July 18, 2008.
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