This actress was called ugly by family, body shamed; then won beauty pageant, dethroned Nargis, Madhubala in Bollywood

Cinema is a visual medium and as a result, many a times, actors find themselves being judged more for how they look and appear on screen than just their performance. And while it is a fair call to an extent, often times, this judgement can descend into bullying. For one Bollywood superstar, this body shaming and bullying defined her growing up years, until she overcame it to emerge victorious.

The actress who was body shamed by her own family

Born to filmmaker Kumarsen Samarth and actress Shobana Samarth, Nutan was a sickly child. Even as her mother launched her as a child artiste as early as 1945 (when she was eight), Nutan’s thin frame was always criticised, even at home. Nutan began playing lead roles when she was 14 but she was severaly body shamed by people in the industry and her own family with many ridiculing her, calling her an agarbatti (incense stick). Despite this, Nutan participated in the 1952 Miss India contest and ended up winning the regional Miss Mussoorie title. Yet, the body shaming persisted.

Her mother Shobana Samarth then pulled her out of films and sent her to Switzerland to ‘recover’, fearing she had some dietary illness. There, the actress gained 18 kg and worked on herself to return to India a fitter and more confident self.

Nutan’s return to Bollywood and stardom

In 1955, Nutan returned to Bollywood with Seema, her breakthrough film. She followed this with hits such as Paying Guest, Anari, and Sujata. By the end of the decade, she was an established star. In the 60s, Nutan starred in more hits like Chhalia and Bandini. In the latter, she was in the lead role with male stars supporting her. The success and critical acclaim of the film meant that Nutan was now the top female star in Bollywood, dethroning seniors like Madhubala and Nargis. Nutan continued to churn out hits for the next decade before transitioning to senior roles in the 80s, with films like Karma, Meri Jung, and Naam. Her final film role was Kanoon Apna Apna in 1989. The veteran actress was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1990 and she succumbed to the illness the following year.

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