6 Indian women who are spreading positive messages about body image

These women faced body shaming but fought it with the belief that the colour of their skin or the size of their waist cannot be the parameters for measuring beauty.

How do I look? For many Indian women, the answer to that simple question often leads to more questions. The stereotypical definition of beauty is so deeply etched in our minds that we compare our reflection in the mirror with that notion of beauty. Instead of taking delight in how athletic our legs or how well we can throw a ball, we are worried if our arms look too flabby or if our legs jiggle a bit while running.

It is high time that women realise that the colour of their skin or the size of their waist are not the parameters to be used for measuring one's beauty. The below six Indian women have not only faced body shaming but have also fought it off with an iron fist. Their stories are sure to encourage women to love the person they see in the mirror every morning.

Vidya Balan

Irrespective of the fact that the talented actress has several awards to her credit, she is time and again quizzed about her weight. But the constant scrutiny has not deterred her. She has embraced her body type with much grace and élan and never apologises for not adhering to the perceived 'size-zero' norm for actresses.

For the gifted actress, being true to the character she portrays on screen is more important than looking beautiful. Though she does accept criticism with dignity, she does not shy away from giving befitting replies to anybody who tries to objectify her.

Tannishtha Chatterjee

In a very unfortunate incident, this brilliant actress was body shamed for her skin colour under the pretext of humour on national television. Refusing to take things lying down, Tannishtha decided to go public about her dismay and took to her social media account.

In a strongly worded message, she expressed her displeasure and said that in a country where dark skin is marginalised, making fun of it in the name of humour is not acceptable. She firmly believes that in a time where our country is eyeing to be a superpower, the first thing we must do as a nation is to take pride in our skin colour and not be apologetic about it.

Ileana D'Cruz

The beautiful actress who has proved her mettle in the film industry recently opened up about her struggle with Body Dysmorphic Disorder. She shared her thoughts on how she felt uncomfortable about her body shape and would constantly try to be accepted by everyone. She says that the first step towards healing is to have the courage to accept your body image.

Ileana is now the brand ambassador for Levi's #IShapeMyWorld movement, a platform through which she wishes to encourage women to shape their world on their own terms.

Masaba Gupta

Not long ago, the incredibly gifted fashion designer shared a picture of herself on Instagram with a heartfelt note. The picture showed her acne-riddled skin in clear light. In a world where beauty standards are often impossible to reach, it must have taken her a lot of courage to do so.

She goes on to say that one must practise confidence and self-esteem because they are needed to pick yourself up when you get knocked down by harsh comments. It does not matter if your skin is not flawless but it is important for women to love themselves and focus on their wellbeing.

Neha Parulkar

This gorgeous plus size Indian model does not shy away from flaunting her curves and inspires others by boldly shattering the notion that only slim is beautiful. She auditioned and got through to India's first ever plus size fashion show at Lakme Fashion Week.

Through her Instagram account, she seeks to propagate the message that a plus size woman can be anything and everything she wishes to be. She encourages women to keep a positive attitude about their body shape and believes that size is just a number.

Aashna Bhagwani

She is a beauty blogger and a plus size fashion influencer who has her own brand named ‘Beyond The Bouffant'. Through her blog, she showcases mesmerising styles for curvaceous women to don.

She is unapologetic about her weight or size and often shares stories about body image and size acceptance. She refuses to abide by stereotypical perceptions about how curvy women must dress and is often photographed wearing beautiful crop tops and high slits.