Nayanthara recalls being body-shamed during early career days
Nayanthara, widely regarded as the “Lady Superstar” of South Indian cinema, recently shared a personal struggle in her Netflix documentary, Nayanthara: Beyond the Fairytale. Reflecting on her early career, the actress revealed how she faced body-shaming during the filming of Ghajini (2005), calling it one of the lowest points in her professional journey.
In the documentary, Nayanthara recounted the criticism she endured. Speaking about her experience, she said, “There were days when I used to see all these comments. People were asking, ‘Why is she acting? Why is she even there in the movie? She’s so fat.’”
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She further explained the challenges of being a newcomer in the industry. “You can’t say such things. You can talk about the performance part of it—maybe I wasn’t good—but I was doing exactly what my director told me to do. I was wearing exactly what he wanted me to wear. I was a newcomer, so I never had a say in it,” she added.
For context, Ghajini starring Suriya and directed by A.R. Murugadoss, was inspired by Christopher Nolan’s Memento. In the film, Nayanthara played Chitra, a medical student who aids the protagonist in his quest for vengeance. Despite her pivotal role, she faced unwarranted scrutiny over her appearance.
The actress also addressed controversies surrounding a bikini scene in Billa (2007), another significant film in her career. While the scene sparked debates, Nayanthara stated, “It was something I did because my director asked me to. It was never about making a statement.”
Recently, Nayanthara was in the news for a legal dispute with actor Dhanush, who accused her of using clips from his production Naanum Rowdy Dhaan without permission in her documentary. The actor demanded ₹10 crores in compensation, which led Nayanthara to issue a detailed open letter defending her actions.
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