“It felt surreal, almost like it was happening in some distant simulation because it all played out online. I didn’t grow up in that culture,” she explained.
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Body shaming is a harsh reality, especially for women in the entertainment industry, where appearances are constantly scrutinized. While many actresses have spoken up about this damaging culture, Welsh actress Banita Sandhu recently shared her own experience of being criticised not for being “too much,” but for being “too little.”
In a recent interview, Banita opened up about being body-shamed for being too skinny, and how she chose to rise above the negativity.
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Banita Sandhu, who gained fame through films like ‘October’ and ‘Sardar Udham’, recalled facing body shaming during her work in a South Indian film.
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“I remember when I did a South Indian movie, people called me ugly and said I looked like a twig. They couldn’t understand how my co-star would be attracted to me in the film because I was so skinny,” she shared.
For Banita, this was a new and unsettling experience. “That was probably the first time I faced body shaming. It felt surreal, almost like it was happening in some distant simulation because it all played out online. I didn’t grow up in that culture, so the beauty standards felt a bit foreign to me,” she explained.
Instead of letting the comments weigh her down, Banita developed a healthy distance from the online negativity.
“It didn’t hit me personally. I realised the beauty standards in that region are just different from how I look, and I chose to accept that rather than obsess over it,” she said. “I didn’t think to myself, ‘Oh, I need to gain weight now.’ I’m naturally very skinny – you can ask any producer I’ve worked with; I’m probably the one who eats the most on set.”
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Her takeaway from the experience? Don’t take online criticism to heart. “You just can’t take it seriously. It’s really not worth it.”
Born and raised in Caerleon, Wales, Banita made her Bollywood debut in 2018 with ‘October’, directed by Shoojit Sircar, opposite Varun Dhawan. She describes that opportunity as both a blessing and a challenge. “It was like a domino effect; everything just clicked into place. Having your first film with such an incredible director is a gift. But it also sets the bar so high that it’s tough to reach that level again.”
Banita didn’t stop there. She ventured into international projects like the American TV show ‘Pandora’ and the Tamil film ‘Adithya Varma’. She later starred in ‘Sardar Udham’.
Now, she’s gearing up for her next big release, ‘Detective Sherdil’, where she stars alongside Diljit Dosanjh. Talking about her experience on this film, Banita couldn’t hide her excitement.
“I think it was the most fun I’ve ever had on a movie set. We shot in Budapest, which was beautiful, and working with such an amazing ensemble cast made it even better.”
Banita faced a unique challenge in ‘Detective Sherdil’ – her character is deaf. “I usually like having a good amount of time to prepare for my roles, but I joined this film just two weeks before shooting began. It was a rush, but we dove into intense rehearsals and workshops,” she said. “Playing a deaf character required not just technical preparation but also emotional depth and careful observation to make sure I got it right.”
Interestingly, Banita Sandhu had worked with Diljit before, in his 2018 music video ‘Jindh Mahi’. Speaking about him, she said, “The great thing about Diljit is that he hasn’t changed. From the first time I worked with him to now, he’s always kept his head down and stayed focused. His work ethic and discipline are just exceptional. I’ve seen him grow into superstardom, and it’s inspiring.”
She also couldn’t help but gush about his fashion sense. “He’s hands down the best-dressed man in India!”
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