27th February, Mumbai: Our society has set certain standards when it comes to one’s appearance. And, falling short at any of these, make living a difficult ride for many. Many, therefore, are very conscious about how they look and their weight, which affects their confidence in one way or the other. It often leads to an inferiority complex. There have been many talks, awareness programmes even movies, shows and series on body shaming. Someone all these have helped but it feels like there is still a long way to go. Insta Reels actor and singer Akash Singh Rajput shares his viewpoint.
“If people say that looks don’t matter then they are lying. Looks do matter in showbiz too, except for OTT that probably gives more importance to talent. I will tell you my story. I was literally fat when I was in my school. So, I tried to lose 55 kilos before going to college because people usually make fun of people for how you look and discriminate too. So when you become a smart guy from being the ‘so-called laddoo’ in your school that completely changes the perspective of people, especially in the way they look or treat you. Staying healthy is a key to success in every field not just in the film industry but as well as in daily life. If you try to work out 4 to 5 days every day that will really change the perspective of how you think, act and will give good results in terms of your confidence and productivity,” he says.
With so many shows, series and movies on body shaming, many are now aware of the bad effects of it and have also helped in reducing it. However, the actor feels that there is much more that needs to be done.
“There is a long way to go as to how people look at those chubby and fat performers doing a show and movie. Other than shaming them, I feel they should be encouraged to lose weight. At the same time, when you see an actor who looks good in six packs on screen, definitely everyone desires to be like him. That’s good motivation. But the one thing that people don’t understand is that your personality, body language and kindness matter more. But, yes, how you present yourself is also important and helps you to succeed. About 93 percent is your personality, how you look, how you carry yourself, the rest 7% is the way you talk,” he adds.
There is more pressure on celebrities to look good, as they are part of the glamour industry. The pressure is high as everything should be on point every time they step out.
“There is always a pressure for celebrities to do and be right as there are so many people who admire them and see them as their role models. Let me give another example that involves me. I was doing a lot of social media and suddenly someone comes to me and says Sir you are getting fat and it was embarrassing. I asked him why he said something like that, he said that he looks up to me as his role model and wants me to be fit. Makeup doesn’t make you beautiful, you need to glow from within. And to do that you need to take care of your outer and inner self, stay fit and happy. I believe in spreading love and positivity,” he smiles.
On whether we will ever come to a point where body structure, weight and physical appearance won’t be the first thing that comes to our mind when we meet someone, Akash explains his take.
“For the past 30 years, the thinking has been the same for the people who are not in good body or shape. I don’t know how it will change in India but this change must happen in the coming times. You cannot judge a book by its cover. You need to understand the person, look inside them before passing any judgement. Good physical appearance is not all. It’s easier to call someone ‘motu’ . I used to be called ‘laddu’ as a child. That might do more wrong than right. The ideal way would be to understand why someone is overweight, help, if possible and see if they can look forward to a better future,” he ends.