Priya Paramita Paul: There are very few people who can come out as who they are, be it fat, healthy or overweight

Model, life coach and influencer Priya Paramita Paul says that it takes courage to be as you are in front of others. Weight has always been a sensitive topic for all of us and she says that this needs to change.

“I agree that looks and weight do affect your confidence and develop an inferiority complex. Fortunately, I haven't dealt with any of this. Even when I was overweight, because of my personality development programmes and because of everything that I've worked on myself, have helped me. There were times when others used to say I am fat but when I used to look in the mirror, I never thought that I was fat. But, when I reduced, I felt that, yes, maybe I was fat. But touchwood, I never faced inferiority issues like other people who feel so much like that and lose their confidence,” she says.

She adds, “Making sure that people accept our XL bodies is not easy. I think that there are very few people who can come out as who they are, be it fat, healthy or overweight. You need courage. I would suggest all influencers and celebrities showcase this acceptance it in real life. Casting an overweight person with such a concept but when it comes to a love story instead you cast a slim hot person. This is where things can change.”

There is more pressure to look good on celebrities, as they are part of the glamour industry, she says, adding, “I feel a lot of pressure right now. Whenever I go to any casting directors or well-known producers, they always say that they are looking for a person with a specific body shape, or a very slim girl. This creates a lot of pressure on people because you have to cut down on so many things, including food. It gets very overwhelming for people like me, in fact, even men. We hear of so many heart attack incidents because of steroids. It shows that it is not at all easy for people to manage such things, even though they do it rigorously. for both men and women. Sometimes, you need to let your face and skin breathe. I especially don't agree with the concept of wearing makeup in the gym. You should wear makeup according to your job role.”

Ask her if she feels that we will ever come to a point where body structure, weight and physical appearance won’t be the first thing that comes to our mind when we meet someone, and she says, “I do feel that we will come to that point, but it will take time. It will take a lot of time and people will have to take a lot of courage and come out in public. All the directors and producers should have the courage to break the stereotypical mindset and launch an XL sized, talented actors. We should have the courage to launch such people."