Divyanka Tripathi Weighs In On Makers Casting Only Slender Actors For Action Roles

Divyanka Tripathi, who was last seen in the Sony Liv show Adrishyam, performed action scenes in the series. Sharing her experience of playing a stunt-based role for the first time, the actress said he enjoyed the whole process. Additionally, Divyanka talked about the perception of beauty standards in the entertainment industry, which prevented her from playing action roles till now. 

Divyanka Tripathi on perception of body types 

In a conversation with Mid-day, Divyanka was asked about the reason she decided to star in Adrishyam or whether the action aspect attracted her to the project. The actress said that she has previously shown interest in doing action scenes but she was not taken seriously because of her body type. She added that there is a perception in the industry that only slender women can do stunt-based roles. 

Divyanka said, “There has been a perception that slim women are fit for action roles. I don’t have that body type, so it was difficult for producers to think that I could pull it off. In the past, whenever I showed interest in doing action, I would be told, ‘Not really. We don’t think that would work.’ People used to think of me as a delicate, domesticated person. That perception changed after Khatron Ke Khiladi. People suddenly saw that I had the agility and spirit to take on physical challenges.” 

Divyanka Tripathi on beauty standards in the entertainment industry

Further in the conversation, Divyanka answered if the expectations of a perfect body as an actress ever affected her mental health. The Yeh Hai Mohabbatein star said she was once rejected for a role because she couldn’t fit into a lehenga. She added that an experience like this affects your mentality but she has grown over it since. 

Divyanka said, “I have come into my own and I respect my body a lot. But that doesn’t mean I haven’t had bad days, or that I didn’t feel lesser because I didn’t have the stereotypical heroine body. I remember I was rejected for a role because I wasn’t able to fit in a lehenga. These things can make you feel [bad] about your body. But something shifted in my perspective during the pandemic. At that time, I realised it was sad that we took our bodies for granted and we need to be more grateful for it. That thought helped me.”