Neha Bhasin: I thought I will never be an international pop star because I didn’t have a perfect stomach

There was a time when singer Neha Bhasin used to look at her stomach and scowl, all because of insensitive comments which came her way at the initial stage of her career. And it took her a decade to get over the negative obsessions, and embrace a healthy relationship with her body.

“When I started my career with VIVA in 2002, a lot of body shaming happened especially within the management. After that, I had a very unhealthy relationship with my body for 10 years where I was constantly struggling with accepting my body. I knew it was the right feeling, but it had ingrained me,” says Bhasin.

The 39-year-old continues, “I kept picking diets, spending extra hours working out, yet was never happy with my body. It was my 20’s, a point in life when one is supposed to enjoy. But the sad part of the number is also that we judge ourselves the most. No matter what size you are, you are never happy”.

The singer, who has crooned chartbusters such as Jag Ghoomeya (Sultan), Dhunki (Mere Brother Ki Dulhan), Parwah, recalls being shamed for her stomach by the band management.

“For some reason, it became such an obsession with me over the years as I kept hearing about it. Like, somebody would come and say ‘You look great, but the stomach wasn’t okay’. Everybody was reflecting the same words in my life,” says Bhasin, adding, “I reached a point when I would look at my picture, I would always look at my stomach. It became such a negative obsession for me”.

In her mind, her “stomach became a barrier” in her life, as she describes, “something that is stuck to me just like a bad habit”.

For Bhasin, the journey towards getting over the obsession was a decade long. It was only when she entered 30 when she got onto the path of accepting her body, and embracing it.

“My relationship with my body became better after I turned 20. During one therapy session, the first thing that came out of my mouth was ‘I don’t have a perfect stomach, so I will never be an international pop star,” says the singer.

Why? “Because I remember when I was doing the research at that time, I couldn’t find a single pop star worldwide who didn’t have abs. Today, people are far more accepting of all sorts of body types. At that time, body shaming was a very natural thing to do to an actor or singer.

Today, she has accepted her body without any fear of judgements, which also reflects in her social media posts.

“Even today, I have my days when I struggle. But mostly I’d say at this point, I have the healthiest relationship that I’ve ever had with my body. That also reflects in my size today. I don’t think it’s the other way around. It’s not like because I have a good size, I accept my body. It is because I accept my body, I feel I look the best that I’ve ever looked,” she concludes.