Overview

• In a Filmfare interview on August 5, Vidya Balan revealed she was told before shooting Kismat Konnection to shed weight to look younger than her co-star Shahid Kapoor.
• She said producers and directors called on every film until 2019 to request meetings about losing weight, pressuring her into extreme diets and workouts.
• Balan described exercising “like a beast” and eating minimally, acknowledging that the regimen harmed her physical and mental health.
• The actress noted that while body policing and age bias were pervasive during her early career, Bollywood has grown more accepting of diverse body types since 2019.
• Her account has prompted renewed debate over gendered beauty norms and boosted calls for more inclusive casting practices in the industry.