Sameera Reddy, who has been vocal about her battles with postpartum depression, revealed in a recent interview that she received criticism for gaining weight after giving birth to her son Hans in 2015. The former actor who is now a social media influencer voiced her disappointment that such remarks are still made by complete strangers today.
She cited an instance from an Instagram post in which a vegetable vendor critiqued her physical changes following the birth of her first child in 2015. Sameera Reddy mentioned that she has lately encountered similar remarks from total strangers, such as an airport security officer who made a remark about her appearance while verifying her Aadhar card.
Sameera emphasised that body shaming is a widespread problem and is not just a problem in the postpartum period. “Ignore my postpartum weight… That was in the past. When the security guard at the airport checked my Aadhar card a while back, he said, “Madam, aap bahut badal chuke ho (You have changed a lot).” Therefore, it (body shaming) is not specific to postpartum, but it occurs everywhere, according to Sameera.
Trolls on Sameera’s Weight Gain:
Even while Sameera Reddy has become more robust to these remarks over time, she acknowledged that after the birth of her son, things were difficult. Her first exposure to India’s harsh social reality, where everyone seemed to have an opinion on her physique, was at this point. “I first encountered the brutal realities of our civilization at that time, particularly in India. Everyone wants to express their opinions in a loud manner. In essence, they believe that commenting on a woman’s physique is their entitlement. We all experience that,” said Sameera.
When Sameera Reddy wed businessman Akshai Varde in 2014, she decided to take a break from acting. She praises her spouse for providing constant support throughout this trying time. The statement made by Sameera was, “My husband would tell me, ‘It’s an image that you had established in people’s minds (through films), and that’s what they look up to. Their naivety is what is causing them to say this, then. You have to forget about it and forgive.” My husband was incredibly thoughtful to put it that way because I carry it with me wherever I go right now. I attempt to forgive and move on if someone criticises me or makes a comment because of how I had previously been portrayed (on TV).”
Candid Chat:
Sameera emphasised that close friends and family can sometimes make harsh remarks about someone’s body, in addition to outsiders. She expressed sympathy for anyone who experiences body scrutiny, particularly women, and admitted that it is made more difficult by being in the public eye. Sameera Reddy, an influencer and content creator, complimented the resilience of young women who are able to shrug off cruel remarks regarding their weight. She emphasised the value of showing compassion to new mothers and the understanding that every woman’s body recovers from childbirth differently.
“We must be especially nice to a new mother because all body types differ from one another. It can be challenging to recover at times since you all need time to recover emotionally and physically. That option needs to be provided to everyone. After having birth, there is no set formula for how you should look. People frequently overlook the wonder that is childbirth,” said Sameera.
