Sonam Kapoor is known for her fashion style and ability to
carry herself with aplomb. Her acting skills may have critics, but you will
rarely find a person who doesn’t believe that she looks like a Diva. But as
Spiderman said, “With great powers, comes great responsibility.”
How many times have you caught yourself staring at a
magazine cover, wondering how a certain celebrity looks so incredibly stunning.
Have you stood in front of your mirror, critically evaluating your body from
every angle? Ever left that bikini in the closet and packed yourself a
one-piece swimsuit, just because there is no way you can possibly look good in
a bikini (‘good’ defined by the image we have of Alia Bhatt or Katrina Kaif in
a bikini). Body shaming is when somebody else points fingers at your natural
self, but what about when we are our own biggest critics? When we forget how to
love our own bodies?
In a recent article for Buzzfeed, Sonam Kapoor makes some
powerful statements. She shatters the myth that actresses wake up looking
pretty, “Please know that nobody wakes up like this. Not me. Not any other
actress. (Not even Beyoncé. I swear.)” Further, Sonam offers a sneak peek of
what goes into making a celebrity look so good – “Before each public
appearance, I spend 90 minutes in a makeup chair. Three to six people work on
my hair and makeup, while a professional touches up my nails. My eyebrows are
tweezed and threaded every week. There’s concealer on parts of my body that I
could never have predicted would need concealing. I’m up at 6am every day and
at the gym by 7:30. I exercise for 90 minutes and, some evenings, again before
bed. It’s someone’s full-time job to decide what I can and cannot eat. There
are more ingredients in my face packs than in my food.”
The concept of beauty has stopped being subjective. More and
more young girls are looking at celebrities, models and actresses in awe and
then at their reflection in the mirror with disdain. Instead of celebrating
their own body and trying to look the ‘best they can’, they try to ape these
stars and end up with complexes and issues. And these complexes are not
particular only to regular people like you and me. Sonam confesses that actresses
are under tremendous pressure to look ‘flawless’ and end up stuck in a spiral
of bad diet choices and an unhealthy view of themselves. What you see, may not
necessarily be the reality. Critics argue that Sonam’s statements are
hypocritical, she herself having lost 33 kg for her first film, and now a brand
ambassador for beauty brands that promote ‘flawlessness’. But credit must be
given where it is due and a celebrity coming out and busting the myth that all
models/ actresses look effortlessly gorgeous, is commendable.
Perhaps it is important to remember that the concept of
beauty is relative and that it changes with times. Marilyn Monroe, still
regarded as one of the sexiest women who ever lived, had curves and a soft
belly, not washboard abs. As did Indian actresses like Parvin Babi and Zeenat Aman.
As Sonam says “The ball is in the media’s court to celebrate
fit bodies rather than thin ones, and to know the difference.” At some juncture
down the line, thin became synonymous with fit and healthy became another term
for plump. Instead of focussing on celebrities and their supposed ‘flawless’
bodies, it is important for us to eat healthy, exercise regularly and be the
best version of ourselves. Only when you truly believe that you’re beautiful,
will your inner radiance shine through.
No comments:
Post a Comment