Curvy and proud
Society was the biggest winner at the Ms Plus Size India 2019 pageant, which was recently held in the capital.
Gone are the days when it was only appropriate for a female model to walk the ramp if she boasted a size-zero figure. Even though there’s a lot left to achieve, at least unrealistic bodily standards have been meeting with opposition. But when it comes to the glam-game, plus-sized people are mostly still discarded from the equation. Innumerable examples exist from the industry where people lost kilos to get into the fame game. Renowned named such as Bhumi Pednekar, Sonam Kapoor, Arjun Kapoor, Sonakshi Sinha are living examples of this phenomenon.
Bhaarti, the curvy actor, was badly trolled for featuring in a body-lotion's ad. The world has now embraced body positivity, especially with the emergence of platforms for individuals to show off their natural curves to an audience’s applause. The capital was a witness to one such celebration recently, when the grand finale of Ms Plus Size India 2019 saw models from all over the country participate. Anwesa Ray Mukhopadhyay from West Bengal won the pageant, while Janette Namita Tirke and Ms Ruchira Bhattacharya were first-runners up and Silkesha was awarded the second runner-up position. Of course, all 55 participants won hearts that day.
The event had a simple goal — to encourage women of all body types, sizes and skin tone to find acceptance and love for their bodies. It also presented a national platform for participants, encouraging them to showcase their talents and personalities.
Aman Verma, a known name the glam world, was the host for the evening. The first Indian plus-sized transgender supermodel, Mona Varonica Campbell and B-town diva, Mugdha Godse, were among those who chaired the jury. Mona shared her life experience during the event, recounting how it was not her family but an old friend or a neighbour who would often make things difficult for her. She has travelled to plenty of countries and feels that it is only in India that a superficial definition of beauty is still considered the norm. But the love of her life was the greatest of support for her.
Ashwani Kansal, director, Ms Plus Size India, commented on the pageant’s relevance to society — “In a progressive country like ours, we must break free from shallow beauty standards that dictate that a slender waist and fair skin makes a woman truly beautiful. Now is the time to strive for a society where human bodies are celebrated the way they are, in their rawest form.”
“Through this show, we would like to encourage women in the direction of self-acceptance and self-love. There’s no need to starve or exert yourself just to fit into standards that society has set for you. All you must care for is the health of your body. If you are healthy from within, the external looks do not really matter.”
Mr Binod Kumar, CEO, Daksha Digitas one of the organisers, continued saying, “Body shaming has always been a bane for women. Be it on social media or in a family gathering, we see plus-size individuals being criticised, neglected, and whatnot.” “We endeavour to empower them and make them feel strong and comfortable with their bodies,” he concluded. The pageant has received an overwhelming response nationwide.