Chhavi Mittal on being body shamed: People expect actors to be perfect

Actor Chhavi Mittal recently took to social media to slam a troll who skinny shamed her and commented on one of her posts that her hands were “looking like skeleton”. The actor dug out the comment — which also gave her unsolicited advice to not diet — and posted it for everyone to see because she wanted to tell people that such toxic opinions need to be called out.

“The reason that comment got my attention was because since my ‘20s people have been telling me that I have very rough hands. It touched upon a nerve somewhere when this person said that my hand looked old. I know I have skinny hands, I don’t mind it. I’m confident enough to accept myself the way I am. I know my strengths and weaknesses. I love myself, however I am,” shares the mother of two.

Mittal, 40, had also cited in her post that calling someone “skinny” is as disrespectful as calling them fat.

Elaborating on this, she adds that people have this tendency to judge others by their physical appearance.

“We’ve to start looking at people from within. That’s what we do. It doesn’t bother me when someone doesn’t like me. But I took a stand to do that because I know it bothers a lot of people. I thought that this is a start by making people know that you’re not the only one going through it. Whether you’re fat or thin, it doesn’t matter. People think I’m perfect because I’m an actor but I still get body shamed.”

Social media makes celebrities more susceptible to negative comments, and Mittal admits she takes it with a pinch of salt.

“So many people use atrocious filters to look fair or thin. That’s the benchmark you’re setting for yourself. That’s why these comments bother some people. If you don’t feel comfortable the way you are, then these comments will consume you. I go through all comments across all my social media platforms, but I don’t let bad ones get to me or good ones affect me in any way,” she concludes.