Actor Sameera Reddy has opened up about the beauty standards she faced during the early years of her Bollywood career.
She said the pressure began with her debut film, Maine Dil Tujhko Diya, in 2002.
According to the actress, filmmakers wanted her to look a certain way on screen, and she felt she had little choice but to follow their instructions.
Sameera revealed that she was asked to wear padded bras with almost every outfit because costume teams believed they would improve her appearance.
She also claimed that she was told the padding was still not enough and was asked to enhance her figure further.
In addition to padded bras, she said she wore bum pads and coloured contact lenses for several years.
The actress also revealed that makeup artists often used foundation that was much lighter than her natural skin tone.
Sameera admitted that these changes made her feel insecure and affected her confidence for a long time.
Looking back, she said she wished she had accepted herself earlier.
Today, she proudly embraces her natural appearance and frequently speaks about body positivity, self-confidence and accepting one’s true self.