Sameera Reddy Gets Candid About Her Struggle With Skin Colour & Body Image Insecurities for Over 20 Years

Sameera Reddy has opened up about the beauty standards and appearance-related pressures she faced at the beginning of her career. In a recent conversation with Hauterrfly, she revealed that she was made to look significantly fairer for her debut film, 'Maine Dil Tujhko Diya', and spent years dealing with insecurities surrounding her appearance.

Made ‘Two to Three Shades Lighter' in Debut Film:

Looking back at her experience in 'Maine Dil Tujhko Diya', which marked her Bollywood debut opposite Sohail Khan in 2002, Sameera recalled how her natural complexion was altered to fit conventional beauty standards. "In my first film, Maine Dil Tujhko Diya, I was made two to three shades lighter. I almost looked gray! I used to use full body makeup to match the colour of my face with my body," confessed Reddy.

She went on to question society's obsession with fair skin and unrealistic beauty ideals. "Do you know how many women have it in their own families? Her own parents and in-laws say, 'You're dark or fat.' What the hell! Who has given the definition of beauty?" she said.

Photo Credit: Instagram

A Long Battle With Self-Image:

Sameera revealed that her struggles were not limited to skin colour. She spent years trying to fit into expectations that often felt disconnected from her true self. "The confusion with what I had to represent, what I'm selling, and who I am, I have to say it was only in my 40s that I broke it! It took me 20 years because for all these years, I was wearing only padded bras, bum pads, and coloured lenses," she shared.

She also reflected on growing up with comments about her body and appearance. "I was always ‘pleasantly plump' since my childhood, as I'd like to put it. When I lost weight, I was told, 'Your bum is flat.'"

The constant scrutiny, she admitted, made her question her identity for years.

Experiencing Body-Shaming on Set

Sameera also spoke about being body-shamed by members of film crews during her early days in the industry. "Even the dress designers told me right from the start that I had to do something about it. So, all my outfits had built-in bras with pads," she said.

She added that remarks about her appearance were common, with people often suggesting she change the way she looked.

Today, Sameera says she has embraced herself with confidence and no longer feels the need to conform to unrealistic standards. Married to businessman Akshai Varde and a mother of two, she has frequently spoken about self-acceptance, body positivity, and challenging outdated definitions of beauty.