Bubbly, vibrant and absolutely stunning are the only words that come to mind when you think of actress Delnaaz Irani. And it is her unapologetic self-confidence that continues to motivate numerous women in the country who don’t fit into the conventional societal norms of being a certain size.
“I never made my weight my weakness. As far as my roles were concerned, my weight was never an issue. I got roles that suited me and my personality and I was happy doing them. I just wanted to be consistent in the industry,” she says, adding, “For me, I don’t think I was ever bothered about my weight. I give credit to my body size for doing well in the industry. I think I am the kind of person who never bothered about being a certain type. I was a very stunning looking girl when I entered the industry. I was a dancer, I had a certain kind of hair colour rather a rare piece for the industry.”
In fact, through her role as Sweetu in Kal Ho Naa Ho, she made fat look glamorous. It’s safe to say that she convinced people to perceive others beyond their body size. “Sweetu from Kal Ho Naa Ho was the turning point. A lot of girls wanted to be like me, even those who were not plus size,” she says.
And, it was this confidence that helped her reach the position she enjoys today. “Nobody rebuked me for my weight. Nobody body shamed me. In fact, I have never been body shamed. The TV fraternity accepted me happily. Putting on weight happened because of my thyroid and personal stress and it all happened when I had already made a mark in the TV industry. I think post-2008-2009, I started putting on all this weight. Till today, I have always got roles that made me look good. Today also, when I am playing Goli Bua (her character in the show Kabhi Kabhie Ittefaq Sey), it is not body shaming, it just is about a certain body type. Goli Bua is a strong character. She is a very strict woman who has her own principles and values in place. Every role that I have done had a certain flavour to it and none of it had to do with my weight,” she says.
Ask her if her childhood was tough due to her weight, and she says, “Yes, there was some kind of fun and jokes around me. I was not fat rather a cute chubby kid. It was more of baby fat. I always had a little weight problem. People didn’t really rebuke me for my weight but, yes, I have undergone a lot of pressure. Even in my own family, my closest people used to ask me to lose weight. When I was a child, I was not obese. I was rather a chubby kid and at that time, my parents did not bother. As a teenager, I was into dancing. As I grew up, I had thyroid and a few years back, I had borderline diabetes but everything is in control today. My family is bothered about my health at this point and so my mom asks me to lose weight. They just feel I should be healthy.”
“I never made my weight my weakness. As far as my roles were concerned, my weight was never an issue. I got roles that suited me and my personality and I was happy doing them. I just wanted to be consistent in the industry,” she says, adding, “For me, I don’t think I was ever bothered about my weight. I give credit to my body size for doing well in the industry. I think I am the kind of person who never bothered about being a certain type. I was a very stunning looking girl when I entered the industry. I was a dancer, I had a certain kind of hair colour rather a rare piece for the industry.”
In fact, through her role as Sweetu in Kal Ho Naa Ho, she made fat look glamorous. It’s safe to say that she convinced people to perceive others beyond their body size. “Sweetu from Kal Ho Naa Ho was the turning point. A lot of girls wanted to be like me, even those who were not plus size,” she says.
And, it was this confidence that helped her reach the position she enjoys today. “Nobody rebuked me for my weight. Nobody body shamed me. In fact, I have never been body shamed. The TV fraternity accepted me happily. Putting on weight happened because of my thyroid and personal stress and it all happened when I had already made a mark in the TV industry. I think post-2008-2009, I started putting on all this weight. Till today, I have always got roles that made me look good. Today also, when I am playing Goli Bua (her character in the show Kabhi Kabhie Ittefaq Sey), it is not body shaming, it just is about a certain body type. Goli Bua is a strong character. She is a very strict woman who has her own principles and values in place. Every role that I have done had a certain flavour to it and none of it had to do with my weight,” she says.
Ask her if her childhood was tough due to her weight, and she says, “Yes, there was some kind of fun and jokes around me. I was not fat rather a cute chubby kid. It was more of baby fat. I always had a little weight problem. People didn’t really rebuke me for my weight but, yes, I have undergone a lot of pressure. Even in my own family, my closest people used to ask me to lose weight. When I was a child, I was not obese. I was rather a chubby kid and at that time, my parents did not bother. As a teenager, I was into dancing. As I grew up, I had thyroid and a few years back, I had borderline diabetes but everything is in control today. My family is bothered about my health at this point and so my mom asks me to lose weight. They just feel I should be healthy.”
