India’s Harnaaz Sandhu, Miss Universe 2021, has been body shamed after a catwalk appearance. Such trolling highlights the unnatural obsession with how women ‘should’ look
- When youngster took part in a fashion show recently, there were rude comments about her weight; she is not the only one facing such nastiness
- Experts say attitudes reflect patriarchal mindset, valuing looks over achievements; ‘Log kya kahenge? (what will people say?)’ is too entrenched
On Instagram, where she has nearly five million followers, Sandhu’s Lakme Fashion Week 2022 appearance drew comments like “Plus size model”, “She’s so overweight” and “Wow, the rolls in the back!”
Prominent women around the world have faced body shaming but the ferocity with which Sandhu, 22, was targeted has reignited a debate in India on how menacing such comments can be.
In October 2021 actress Kareena Kapoor Khan was also slammed after a catwalk appearance for “putting on pounds”, months after giving birth to her second child.
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Harnaaz Sandhu takes home India’s first Miss Universe title in 21 years
Neha Dhupia, 41, recalled how she was fired from Bollywood projects after her pregnancy. “Before I announced my pregnancy, I was a part of a few projects. Did I get fired from those projects? Yes, I did,” she revealed in an interview in February.
