In an industry that often equates beauty with perfection, Barkha Bisht is calling out the pressure—while applauding Smriti Irani for bringing honesty to the screen on the subject. She praises the TV show Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2 for acknowledging ageing, body changes and other realities in women’s lives. “I have to appreciate Smritiji for this. She has actually included lines that talk about her being healthier or getting wrinkles. She herself has at times included dialogues to convey that,” says Barkha.The actress adds, “Why are women under the pressure of looking good all the time? Our show has actually stressed on the fact that there are women who could be similar ages—and one could look like this and the other could look like that. This is the reality.”The show depicts how two women — one a homemaker and the other a working professional—co-exist. Barkha explains, “Women like this exist in the society.” Reflecting on generational shifts, she says, “We don’t see our mothers running after fitness, because what they did was take care of the house. And then, we are the kind of people who feel that we need to stay fit and look good—more for ourselves than anything else.” She further shares, “I know of so many women who are not fit, and there are so many women my age who are fitter than me—that is also a reality.”
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