semi-major Indian starlet speaks out

Rohit Khare (khare@w3.org)
Thu, 28 Aug 1997 13:40:03 -0400 (EDT)


Just so you know the celeb press over there is just as vapid, and the
shots are just as hot, see http://www.redifindia.com/entertai/jun/03ravi.htm

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Have you always been like this?

No, no, till my first year of college I was a very complex, insecure
person. I was fat and ugly. In school I was disgustingly obese. I used
to be the butt of ridicule and that made me withdraw into a shell. It
made me miserable, unsure of myself. I was far from confident.

How did it change?

Well, I had this major crush on a guy in college. He was one of my
brother's friends. One day he walked into the house, pulled my
pigtails and said motti. My world came crashing down. I swore to
myself that come what may, I'd have that man at my feet. And that was
the day I started losing weight.

Throughout school I've faced ridicule and been complexed about my
appearance. I almost turned into a nervous wreck. Peer pressure is
bad. Children can be really cruel. Specially if you're not like
everyone else.

I still remember the way children used to tease me. Fat people are
really lonely people. In school girls would be my friends but guys
would generally keep away. A lot of insecurity stems from there. But
if you have a strong base nothing can shake you.

When I came into the industry, I was still very complexed. I was very
broad shouldered, I remember, and not open to jokes. Because I was so
conscious of myself. In fact, sometimes when Salman would joke with
me, I would misunderstand him. So initially I started withdrawing into
a shell. This was misunderstood and everyone thought I was too
arrogant. It wasn't so, I was just insecure about myself. I wanted to
scream, 'I'm not like that.'

I'm a friendly person but I'm conscious if people may fun of me. Then
I went through this phase of this one particular heroine making fun of
me. Then being dropped out of movies and my war with a certain
co-star. I was majorly misunderstood. I went into a deeper
shell. However I handled it. I surfaced. I'm a survivor.