Exclusive – Reem Shaikh on facing body image issues: I was chubby and not getting work; casting directors would say ‘You are not fit’

Leading lady of Tujhse Hai Raabta, Reem Shaikh is in her teens and enjoys 2.8m followers on social media. Starting to act at the age of 6, it hasn’t been an easy one. The actress faced a low phase in her life when she wasn’t getting work. Calling herself ‘chubby’, Reem in an exclusive chat with ETimes TV spoke about facing body image issues and not getting work. (By: Sukarna Mondal)

I have started when I didn’t even realise what acting was. I didn’t even know if I wanted to act. I am myself surprised that how can a child like me be acting at that age. I am a big introvert and not that social. I love staying at home and enjoy house parties. I like limited people. I was very shy as a child and feared while interacting. My father was the one who thought that I could act.

It was my father who pushed me into acting. He recognised my talent. He even got my portfolio done. My daadi and mother also encouraged him. My mom was a bit reluctant thinking that I hardly talk to people. Even in my first portfolio, there is not a single picture where you can see my smile. My dad would carry the portfolios to productions houses. I remember my first audition was very bad. Then Neer Bhare Tere Naina Devi happened and also my first commercial with Kajol. My mom would also later stay with me for 10 days straight when I would shoot in Karjat.

I am a little old school. I have never really bothered about the number of followers I have had on social media. I don’t care about likes or comments. I have never been in the race of followers. I love to click pictures. Even though sometimes I get pressurized to do this and that type of content to gain more followers but I never seem to agree with them.

It was my friend Aftab, who is behind my Instagram profile. He saw it in me when no one else did. A few years back, I was chubby. I still consider myself to be little cute and litte chubby. I was this under-confident girl who wouldn’t even get ready to get clicked. I just couldn’t face the camera. My friend would tell me to come out but I wouldn’t. He motivated me and I told him to give me some months. I wanted to be confident enough that I camera ready even when I wake up from my sleep.

I have always been frank about this. The two years gap that I took after Chakravartin Ashoka Samrat, I didn’t take it willingly. It was a break because I was genuinely not getting work. I would go for auditions, and in those 2 years I think I have signed over 12 contracts and done so many mock tests, pilots and even promos. But it just wasn’t working out. Things would get shut or I would get replaced due to age issue and I was also chubby that time. Two years, I did not get work.

I did have body image issues and I realised it is affecting my work. It was affecting something I live for. Being an actress has been my ultimate and only dream. So, if being chubby was getting in my work, then I was ready to get ready for it. I got many casting directors’ feedback, ‘See you are not looking fit for screen, because on-screen you tend to look 20% more of what you are’. I worked my a** out. It’s been two and half years I haven’t had roti because I started gluten-free diet. Sunday is the only day I would cheat and have pizza or a burger maybe.

I know body-shaming and fat-shaming is a big issue but the situation is different. Had I been a normal girl, I wouldn’t really care about it. It was coming in the way of my work. So everybody out there who think they are not in perfect shape, it is absolutely fine. You do not have to care about it.