Actor Sameera Reddy has recently spoken out about the intense pressure she faced from the film industry to make physical changes to her body at the height of her career. Despite the constant suggestions to apply filters and consider surgical enhancements, Reddy found relief in resisting these pressures and remaining true to herself.
Industry Pressures and Body Image
In an interview with Hindustan Times, Sameera Reddy shared her experience of being urged to undergo cosmetic surgery. “I can’t emphasise enough the amount of pressure that was put on me to get a b**b job at the top of my career. So many people kept saying, ‘Sameera, sab log kar rahe hain, aap kyun nahin?’ (‘Sameera, everyone is doing it, why are you not?’). But I didn’t want something like that inside me. It’s like you are hiding a flaw but it’s not a flaw, it’s how life is. I will not judge someone who wants to have plastic surgery and botox, but what works for me is internally fixing myself,” Reddy explained.
Embracing Authenticity
Sameera has been widely praised online for embracing her age and staying true to her natural self. She humorously recalled a time when Google listed her age incorrectly, but she ensured it was corrected. “People said I look happier and more comfortable in my skin now. I looked chiselled at 28, but there is a warmth and comfort at 45. When I was 40, the internet had my age as 38. But I immediately got it changed as I was proud of being 40. Interviews mein itna fenk fenk ke (by lying so much in interviews), Google picked up the wrong age,” she said.
Rejecting Filters and Embracing Reality
When Sameera initially joined social media, she was encouraged to use filters to enhance her appearance. However, she chose to showcase her true self instead. “I said I’ll show my skin when it is bad, I’ll show my cellulite and my weight. This is who I am. I am more grateful for doing this rather than being that perfect 36-24-36 figure. I get to be real which I never got to do when I was an actor,” she shared.
Breaking Barriers with Honesty
Sameera highlighted the disconnect that often exists between celebrities and their audiences due to the pressure to present a flawless image. “There was always this parda (curtain) between me and my audience. We only put out what people wanted to hear, but it gives people anxiety when you show you ‘wake up looking like this’. No, you don’t. I wake up every day looking like crap, running behind my children. But I have the capacity to look amazing as a 45-year-old, and I own it. When you show your grey hair, your belly fat, and your stretch marks, someone out there feels ‘there is somebody else like me’ and it takes away the pressure on them,” she added.
