Bipasha Basu has opened up about body image, fitness and the changing perception of muscular women in Bollywood. The actor, who has long been known for her strong and athletic physique, reflected on how difficult it was for women with muscular bodies to be accepted in the Hindi film industry when she started her career.
Speaking to Elle India, Bipasha recalled that in the early 2000s, female actors were largely expected to have a particular kind of appearance. According to her, actresses were often celebrated for being extremely pretty, fair and delicate-looking, while a taller, athletic and muscular body was not necessarily considered the conventional Bollywood ideal.
Bipasha believes that her own physique helped challenge that perception.
“I don’t think women with more muscular tones were very acceptable as actresses, but I think I started the trend,” she said, while discussing her journey in the industry.
For Bipasha, fitness was never simply about looking good. She said she wanted to encourage women to love themselves and understand that being healthy is more important than simply achieving a certain physical appearance.
The actor also spoke about how her fitness journey encouraged many women to exercise and focus more on their health. Over time, she believes people began to understand the benefits of maintaining an active lifestyle.
However, Bipasha also questioned whether people today are exercising for the right reasons or simply because they want to achieve a particular physical appearance.
Bipasha Basu on Loving Yourself as You Age
Bipasha also addressed another major pressure faced by women in the entertainment industry—the expectation to look younger as they grow older.
She said she does not want to fall into the pressure of trying to look younger than her actual age. Instead, she is comfortable with the person she has become and feels she likes herself more today than she did in her 20s.
“Ageing is like the biggest sin you can commit,” Bipasha said while describing the unrealistic expectations surrounding ageing.
The actor made it clear that she does not judge people who choose to approach ageing differently, but personally, she wants to embrace getting older rather than constantly trying to hide it.
For Bipasha, growing older is something she is proud of, and she believes women should not be made to feel insecure simply because they are ageing.
The Mrunal Thakur Controversy
Bipasha’s comments also bring back memories of an old controversy involving actor Mrunal Thakur. In an earlier interview, Mrunal was speaking with her Kumkum Bhagya co-star Arijit Taneja about the kind of physique she would prefer in a partner.
During the conversation, Mrunal reportedly said that someone who wanted to marry a muscular woman should “go marry Bipasha,” before adding that she was “far better than Bipasha.”
The old clip resurfaced online and sparked criticism, with many people accusing Mrunal of making an unnecessary comment about another actor’s body.
Mrunal later apologised for the remark on social media.
The controversy also started a larger conversation around the way women’s bodies are discussed publicly. Bipasha’s recent comments about muscular women and self-love once again put the focus on how far Bollywood has come from the beauty standards that dominated the industry in the early 2000s.
Today, muscular and athletic female bodies are more visible in films, advertising and fitness culture. Yet, Bipasha’s comments highlight that the conversation should not only be about appearance. For her, fitness is closely connected with confidence, health and learning to accept oneself.
Her views also send a message about ageing: women should not have to constantly chase youth or feel pressured to maintain the appearance they had decades earlier.
Bipasha Basu has spent years being recognised for her distinctive physique, but her latest comments show that her idea of fitness goes beyond muscles and appearance. For the actor, it is ultimately about health, self-love, confidence and being comfortable with who you are at every stage of life.
