There was this old joke, about Bollywood yesteryears actress Asha Parekh who went up to God and said “Main aapke paas ek Chhoti is aas leke ayi hoon” and apparently God thundered, “Jooth kyon bolti ho!”… Purport of this being that Bollywood does not have a history of size zero.

What is does have, is a history of full bodied, curvy women; it is a long and honored tradition, so that when the hero had to swing up the girl in his arms for the mandatory twirl in the mandatory love song, one often winced in sympathy. Even with the leading men, there was not a six pack in sight; now however its six packs wherever you dart your glance!

So Bollywood’s recent preoccupation with size zero is certainly new; it is a break from tradition. Think Asha Parekh, Nanda, even Rekha and Sridevi of old were distinctly chunky! Even in later times, a Kajol or a Manisha Koirala could hardly be called thin; well rounded would be more accurate. Read More>>>