HYDERABAD: Flaws, opinions and insecurities. We all have them. And as perfect as the glamour world looks from afar, it nurtures its imperfections as well. And to talk about the same on public platforms with no qualms seems a taboo. At least for the last generation of actresses. It would have been unheard of for a yesteryear actress to appear in public even without makeup.
That is no more the case for the self-aware and confident stars of today. Speaking at length and openly about their insecurities, their imperfections and celebrating the same, they are setting a trend for the generation. Right from Miss World Manushi Chhillar who shared the post of her teen years where she wasn't as flawless as now, to Sonam Kapoor sharing how much effort it takes to be red-carpet ready, women of today do not cling to conventions. Tollywood too is not far behind. Women of Tollywood aren't shying away from showing their fans their #Unfiltered self. Be it regarding their opinions, their vulnerabilities or their true physical form.
"Vulnerability is beautiful"
"I have been on Instagram for the last seven years, but it was only after a very impromptu photoshoot that it hit me how much my influence can be on the people who follow me," says Vidyu Raman, a comedian. Vidyu who in the recent past was in the spotlight for rocking a plus-size body in a sensuous photoshoot, champions body positivity through her posts which are funny and relatable as well. "At a point my following went up to six figures and I realised that when there are so many people watching me, I have to make sure what I am putting out there does some good.
It's not just a weight-issue as I see it. I often get messages from girls who might be unhappy with their body for different reasons - for being too thin, too dark, too fat. And how they started to love themselves a little more seeing how I do despite not being of the conventional beauty standards. I believe that everyone is beautiful and should feel beautiful and that's what my posts reflect as well," she explains. To publish thoughts about body-issues that are sensitive and personal might take a toll but it has its rewards Vidyu admits. "Vulnerability is beautiful. There is no need for hiding or denying it. The positive response I get on my posts usually drowns down the negativity and that is all that matters."
"There's no winning"
When a celebrity puts themselves out there and let the world know their sensitive side, it can also often backfire as well. Shalini Pandey too faced the same when she posted her true feelings regarding the Kathua rape issue. "The issue really disturbed me. What I posted was a genuine emotion. But what I realised is that when you are a celebrity, even when you intend well, there will be people to shoot you down and call you names. And you start to deal with it eventually," she says. Shot to fame with just one film, Shalini isn't familiar with the attention. "I am just like any other girl straight out of college and beginning to work and that's how I view my social media as well," says the youngster.
We have a responsibility
It's not only the newbies who take to social media without garbs but those with millions of following as well. Raashi Khanna often posts pictures of herself pushing herself in the gym sweating it out. Mention that and she confidently says, "When I am in the gym, that is how I am. And there's of course the times when I'm done up for the red carpet.
Posting a quote that I personally believe in or a selfie without makeup on only makes my followers relate more with me. We might be celebrities but we don't have to be put on a pedestal and when we post the realities of our life every little girl out there will know that we are just like her. We are just as normal as any other woman out there." With over a million followers on her Instagram, Raashi also feels that she is obliged to stay aware and informed about what she posts. "I think it is a responsibility that we hold with the kind of influence we have to spread positivity in the world," she concludes.