5 Times Influencers Defied Toxic Bollywood Beauty Standards

As much as we all have been fans of Bollywood, one thing we can agree that it often promotes toxic standards, already prevalent in society. Films have an undeniable influence on society and we all often give in to trends but when it sets standards in terms of physical appearances and behaviours, it gets heavy on us as individuals who are trying to project our true selves, our desires, and authenticity without shame and self-doubts. It creates pressure on us to behave a certain way or look a certain way because of how easily it gets cemented into the minds of Indian audiences who forget that reel and real life are different and then accepting us in our true form becomes hard for them. They are then quick to troll us, criticize us, and ask us to change. Whether it's the color of our skin, our weight, or our smile everything is compared to what society believes to be conventional due to its repetitive promotion through our film industry.

Thanks to the advent of social media we have seen the emergence of many influencers who share the same belief and agree that Bollywood is promoting toxic standards that have a detrimental effect on the viewers. Many of the influencers are now doing everything they can to challenge such toxic standards and show the reality which all of us face. Their contribution to promoting authenticity among the masses and advocating for acceptance is effective considering their medium i.e., social media, and their grit to call out such toxic standards.

Here’s how 5 influencers present our reality and do not give in to the-

Bollywood Toxic Standards

• Tanvi Geetha Ravishankar (@thechubbytwirler)

Tanvi recently posted a video of her dancing to the tunes of Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone's song 'Besharam Rang', where she can be seen matching the steps of Deepika and enjoying herself. The post has been showered with lots of comments supporting her and appreciating her confidence. The caption reads out’ If doing what you love, wearing what you like & living the life you want makes you “Besharam” in someone’s eyes, it’s absolutely fine We’re entering 2023 and the world is gonna get nothing less than our 'UNAPOLOGETIC SELF ’ and frankly we couldn't agree more. 

• Prableen Kaur Bhomrah (@prableenkaurbhomrah)

Prableen Kaur is a skin/body positive fashion and beauty influencer with around 248k followers on Instagram and over 70k subscribers on Youtube. She has come a long way in campaigning skin positivity as she presents her true self without fear. She embraces her acne without feeling the need to hide it using filters and makeup. Having dealt with her share of mean comments she can be seen instilling confidence in the younger generation who learn to accept and embrace themselves following the influencers.

• Ankush Bahuguna (@ankushbahuguna)

He is a content creator with a million followers on Instagram and over 386k subscribers on youtube. A content creator who defies gender stereotypes by making makeup tutorial videos, which are often viewed as the domain of women. Through his videos, he can be seen demonstrating and talking about how males can use skincare and makeup to overcome stereotypes and promote a nonjudgmental society. He got the coveted Cosmopolitan Male Beauty Influencer of the Year award in 2022.

• Dolly Singh (@dollysingh)

With her ever-charming personality and smile, Dolly Singh breaks the stereotype of having perfect teeth to look pretty. She is not afraid of owning what society deems unconventional. No matter what people believe no one can deny her confidence transcends across screens.

• Sakshi Sindwani (@stylemeupwithsakshi)

A content creator, model, and ‘stereotype smasher’, Sakshi has been listed in Forbes's Top 100 Digital Stars. She began her career as a blogger on YouTube after realizing that there were virtually no videos available for curvy women promoting plus-size clothing. In 2019, she began creating fashion and lifestyle content on social media, which got her many followers and collaborations with big names such as Manish Malhotra and Tarun Tahiliani. She’s also been featured in numerous fashion magazines and has recently launched her apparel collection in association with a brand.