For a long time now, Indian cinema has evoked rigid beauty norms whereby actors, especially female ones, were expected to look gorgeous and flawless all the time. Recently, actress Shehnaz Treasury, who had her debut in Ishq Vishk (2003), explained pressure on her life during the making of her very first film.
In an open conversation with ETimes, she recounted being body-shamed on set and being forced into starvation-type diets in order to fit-Alisha’s role of the most attractive girl on campus.
Set-Body Shaming on Ishq Vishk
Shehnaz spoke about how much her looks were talked about as compared to her performance. “I was told to wear colored lenses, lose weight, and look perfect from every angle-as if it was my fault if the camera didn t like me,” she said.
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She faced irrational comparisons with the other lead actor, who was padded to look fuller while Shehnaz was under pressure to shrink through pains of diets. “They wouldn t let me eat; it was absurd and painful,” she said, incredulous about what was so much the norm back then.
A Changed Landscape for Actors
Shehnaz, meanwhile, steps back to reflect upon how the industry has changed over time. Nowadays, the agents of body image, inclusivity and representation are more widespread in conversation.
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“Today, the environment is much kinder to actors,” she said, with various body shapes and forms celebrated, consequently turning in the favor of talent rather than physical alignment. She favors this change as a good omen for the forthcoming generation of artists entering the industry.
Legacy of Ishq Vishk
Ishq Vishk was an adolescent romantic drama directed by Ken Ghosh that gave Shahid Kapoor his big break, starring alongside Amrita Rao and Vishal Malhotra.
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Its rapid and unexpected commercial success catapulted Shahid into the list of stars overnight and served as a catalyst to bring Shehnaz into the limelight so that she could move on to different kinds of projects in India and abroad.
Beyond Films: A Life Reimagined
Before entering film acting, Shehnaz was a popular MTV VJ who was loved for her charm and spontaneity. She went on to feature in several prominent films after Ishq Vishk, including Hum Tum, Delhi Belly and Luv Ka the End.
She more recently starred in an American comedy entitled Americanish (2021). She has since reinvented herself as a digital creator engaging over a million followers through posts on health, travel and lifestyle inspiring fans along the way while staying true to herself.
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