How has Sanam Saeed spoken out against being labeled ‘too tall or too thin,’ and what can her journey teach us about respecting natural body types in South Asian cinema?
This can spark conversations around healthy body diversity that goes beyond curvy vs skinny dichotomies.
When we talk about body image issues in South Asian media, the focus usually lands on one spectrum: curvy vs skinny.
But what about everything in between? What about the women who don’t fit the “Desi screen-ready” mold — not because they’re “too big,” but because they’re too something else?
Too tall. Too angular. Too flat. Too broad-shouldered. Too real.
Enter: Sanam Saeed.
🎭 The Criticism Behind the Camera
From her early days in modeling to her breakout acting roles in Zindagi Gulzar Hai and beyond, Sanam Saeed has often been typecast — not just by characters, but by public perception.
Comments like:
- “She’s too lanky for a heroine.”
- “Not soft or curvy enough.”
- “She’d look better with more weight on her.”
- “Her height is intimidating.”
These weren’t just rude observations — they reflected the narrow lens South Asian media still uses to define femininity.
🗣️ What Sanam Has Actually Said
Sanam has consistently pushed back against these ideas. In interviews, she’s acknowledged the body shaming she’s faced — not because she was unhealthy, but because she simply didn’t fit the romanticized image of a “delicate, desirable” Desi heroine.
She’s said things like:
“I’ve always been told I look like a boy because I’m tall and thin.”
“That’s just my body. I eat well, I’m healthy, and this is how I look.”
Sanam didn’t let the criticism define her. Instead, she carved out a space for tall girls, thin girls, athletic girls, and every body that’s not the cookie-cutter norm.
💡 The Bigger Lesson: Bodies Are Not Aesthetic Categories
Why is South Asian media still obsessed with extremes?
- “Curvy = bold and sexy.”
- “Slim = fragile and feminine.”
- “Tall = masculine.”
- “Petite = adorable.”
It’s exhausting.
It’s outdated.
And it’s dangerous — especially for Gen Z girls trying to figure out who they are while constantly being told what they should look like.
🎬 What the Industry Needs to Start Doing:
1. Cast Based on Talent — Not Body Type
Sanam Saeed didn’t become a national icon because of her “ideal proportions.” She became one because she can act circles around half the industry. Period.
Stop sidelining unique body types just because they don’t fit outdated fantasies.
2. Let Tall Women Be Romantically Desired
Why are tall women in Desi dramas either:
- Intimidating bosses?
- The “mature” friend?
- Or paired with guys way shorter than them just for comic relief?
Give us tall romantic leads. Tall brides. Tall soft girls. Tall women with emotions and femininity — not punchlines.
3. Ditch the “Fix Her” Arcs
We don’t need another storyline where the heroine is told to gain weight, wear heels, or soften up to be lovable.
How about: She’s loved exactly as she is.
🌍 Beyond Representation: Changing How We Talk About Bodies
Sanam’s quiet defiance reminds us that beauty doesn’t sit on one end of a spectrum. It’s everywhere. It’s in long limbs and sharp angles. It’s in softness and strength. It’s in the “unconventional” — which is really just natural.
Instead of reducing women to a single look, South Asian media should expand the conversation.
Let’s move beyond the “curvy vs skinny” war and talk about:
- Healthy variety
- Respecting genetics
- Loving bodies for what they do, not just how they look
🎤 Final Thoughts
Sanam Saeed didn’t ask to be a body positivity icon — but by showing up, staying authentic, and not shrinking herself to fit someone else’s comfort zone, she became one.
And that’s the kind of representation we need more of.
Not just for tall girls.
Not just for thin girls.
But for every girl who’s ever felt “too much” or “not enough.”
Maybe the problem isn’t your body.
Maybe it’s the limited vision of the people behind the camera.