Redefining Beauty: The Future of South Asian Women’s Representation in Media

For decades, South Asian films and television have painted beauty in the narrowest strokes: slim, fair, flawless, and silent. This image is not just stale—it’s dangerous.

In Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani, Jaya Bachchan plays Rocky’s Dadi—a matriarch whose rigid grip on tradition extends to how women should speak, dress, and behave. Her character becomes a chilling reminder of how generational power often enforces patriarchal beauty ideals under the guise of “culture” or “respect.” Women in her household are expected to shrink—not just physically, but emotionally and intellectually.

In Shandaar, the “fat cousin” is turned into a caricature, her weight used as a punchline rather than explored with empathy. And in shows like Dhai Kilo Prem, body diversity is introduced but wrapped in pity, with plots revolving around weight rather than human complexity.

Pakistani dramas like Oye Moti and Pyari Mona push boundaries but still struggle to center larger-bodied women without turning their bodies into metaphors for struggle or tragedy.

The future cannot look like the past. These portrayals aren’t harmless—they dictate who gets seen as lovable, desirable, and worthy. And the toll it takes is silent but profound.