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Body Positivity in South Asia: Challenging Stereotypes in Film and Television
What happens when the screens that are supposed to reflect our lives instead become the mirrors that shame us? Across South Asia, the film and television industries are drenched in glamor—but beneath the beauty lies a deep, unspoken truth: if you’re not fair, thin, and delicate, you’re either invisible or turned into a joke. For millions of South Asian women, this isn’t just media—it’s personal. The message is everywhere. And it’s doing damage that runs deeper than most people realize. Who Gets to Be Seen—and Who Gets Erased? From Bollywood blockbusters to Indian and Pakistani serials, the kind of bodies we see on screen haven’t changed much in decades. The…
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From Bollywood to Netflix: How South Asian Shows Can Stop Perpetuating Toxic Body Norms
Think about it—when was the last time you saw a dark-skinned, plus-size woman as the unapologetic lead in a mainstream Bollywood film or Indian web series? Not the comic relief. Not the girl who has to lose weight to be “good enough.” Just a woman living, loving, leading—as she is. We rarely get that. Films like Kabir Singh, Student of the Year, and Heropanti all recycle the same visual fantasy: wafer-thin women with flawless skin, perfectly styled hair, and an existence seemingly defined by how much men desire them. This doesn’t just shape male expectations—it distorts how women see themselves. And even when platforms like Netflix or Prime Video explore…
Daughters of Strength, Bosses by Choice