Rising above bias and body shaming, Vaani Kapoor speaks her truth embracing confidence, breaking stereotypes, and owning her space in Bollywood
Breaking into Bollywood isn’t easy especially without a family legacy or powerful industry connections. Unrealistic beauty standards are already a problem, and if someone doesn't have a godfather or come from a movie family, the criticism of their appearance is even more extreme. Vaani Kapoor is one actress who has been subjected to this undue scrutiny in the early stages of her career. She moved from New Delhi to Mumbai years ago in order to establish herself in the film industry and she quickly learned that talent alone wouldn’t shield her from bias.
There is also one specific instance that she still remembers. Vaani recalls the day a director fired her from a movie because of the color of her skin. I haven't heard directly, but word gets out through other people. Once, a director told me I wasn't good enough to get a part. "I wasn't 'milky white,'" he stated," the actor claims, highlighting the film industry's obsession with having a pale complexion.
It is what it is, I told myself. I don't want to work on his projects if that's a requirement. There, the emotions are entirely reciprocal. He can locate his stunning and pretty wife or his milky white beauty. I'm confident I can locate a better filmmaker on my own. This was a long time ago. The star of Shuddh Desi Romance and War adds, "And that filmmaker wasn't from Mumbai.
Even though she handled that incident gracefully, she still gets body-shamed occasionally. I frequently hear that I should gain weight since people prefer women with larger frames and that I'm too thin. However, I like myself! There is nothing about me that I would like to change. I am healthy and fit. Usually, these things don't bother me. Sometimes it's difficult to tell whether remarks like these are made out of concern or as sound counsel. However, Vaani says, "I think I'm pretty okay and I like who I am.
Regarding her career, she is getting ready for the publication of Mandala Murders. Vaani plays a tough, independent detective in the series, which was co-directed by Mardaani star Gopi Puthran. In response to Gopi's assertion that the representation of irate young women on screen is the focus of this era, Vaani is pleased to see that viewers are now accepting of a female character's anger. However, fury is frequently mistaken for a woman's strength, and even off-screen, she must pick up on it.
Feistiness and self-defense could be mistaken for anger. It's not like ladies always display signs of anger management! It all comes down to having a viewpoint, voicing it, and being brave enough to do so. Occasionally, you may receive an implicit order to be silent. Men don't always expect you to be silent, but some do, in my opinion. "You can't generalize them all," Vaani says.
