Alia Bhatt opens up about her struggles with body image issues, 'I was quite a chubby'

Alia Bhatt has opened up about her struggles with body image issues since becoming an actor, revealing that pregnancy and motherhood have changed her perspective. She expressed, 'I had so much respect for my body and was so enamored with what it could do.'

Since her debut in 'Student of the Year' (2012), Alia Bhatt has established herself as a top actor in Bollywood, impressing audience with her versatility. However, beneath her confident exterior, she has faced multiple battles with self-image. In an interview with Allure, she shared that even after losing weight, she had a feeling of self-doubt. Alia described how, growing up, she encountered strict beauty standards in the Indian film industry that favoured tall, slim, and light-skinned women. 'I was quite a chubby, healthy kind of kid, very happy with my life at the time. I didn’t think there was anything wrong with the way I looked,” she recalled. However, entering the industry shifted her perception, and she felt pressured to lose weight. 'I have struggled with body-image issues since then. No matter how much weight I lost, I always struggled,' she admitted.

Despite her friends encouraging her, Alia couldn’t shake the feeling that she had to meet industry expectations. 'Once a fat kid, always a fat kid,' she said. However, pregnancy changed everything for her. Now, Alia has embraced her body and its abilities, declaring, 'This is me, take it or leave it.'

On the professional front

Alia will appear in Vasan Bala’s 'Jigra' and is currently shooting for Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s 'Love & War' alongside Ranbir Kapoor and Vicky Kaushal.