Beauty comes in a wide variety of forms.
Bollywood has always had a big cultural impact on the people of India.
Bollywood can influence how the general population perceives what is considered attractive and desired through its portrayal of glitz and beauty.
The public’s self-esteem and body image are significantly impacted by the body standards imposed by Bollywood.
Bollywood’s physique standards have already come under fire for encouraging an unreal and unattainable beauty ideal.
However, Bollywood has made progress in recent years in advancing a more inclusive and diverse beauty standard.
The emergence of the fitness and wellness culture in India is evidence of the effects of these altering body ideals.
However, there is still a long way to go in terms of promoting a truly diverse and inclusive beauty standard.
Change and Transformation
Bollywood saw significant upheaval and evolution in the 1950s.
The nation was experiencing a moment of cultural upheaval, and the Indian film industry was yet in its infancy.
In light of this, Bollywood’s physique standards significantly influenced how the public perceived beauty and attractiveness.
Bollywood’s physique standards in the 1950s were greatly affected by Western notions of beauty.
Actresses were supposed to have thin, hourglass forms with narrow hips, big breasts, and small waists.
Actresses like Madhubala and Nargis, who were regarded as the pinnacle of beauty and glitz, served as examples of this ideal.
But getting this body type wasn’t simple. To preserve their physiques, actors and actresses had to follow rigid diets and exercise plans.
To maintain their weight, many turned to drastic tactics including crash dieting and smoking.
Additionally, there was a culture of “body shaming,” where actors and actresses who did not have the ideal body type were criticised and made fun of.
Curves and Natural Beauty
In the 1960s, a voluptuous body type was valued by Indian beauty standards.
At that time, actresses were admired for their natural beauty and curves.
Waheeda Rehman, Nutan, and Vyjayanthimala were regarded as ideal examples of beauty.
Women were admired for their curves and were not under any pressure to adhere to a particular body standard during the 1960s.
At the time, curves were viewed as a sign of femininity and sensuality, and actresses were not expected to be thin or lean.
The 1960s physique standards were also reflected in the outfits worn by actresses.
The actresses’ curves were highlighted by the clothes, which were constructed of fabrics that flowed beautifully over their bodies.
Popular choices for costumes included the traditional Indian saree, which was worn in a way that highlighted the actresses’ curves.
Slim and Toned
Indian beauty standards began to change in the 1970s in favour of a slimmer physique.
The thin and toned bodies of the era’s actresses were adored.
Actresses like Parveen Babi, Hema Malini, and Zeenat Aman were regarded as the pinnacles of beauty.
Bollywood began to embrace more Western dress patterns during the 1970s.
In the 1970s, actresses wore more avant-garde and daring costumes.
Bell bottoms, short skirts and tight trousers were in style, and the actors wore them to highlight their toned arms and legs.
Grooming and beauty treatments were given a lot of importance by 1970s beauty standards.
It was standard for actresses to have immaculate skin, glossy hair, and flawless makeup.
At that time, maintaining a trim and toned body was achieved through regular exercise, hair treatments, and facials.
Lean and Svelte
Indian beauty standards kept emphasising a slender and toned body type during the 1980s.
The beauty, grace, and glitz of the era’s actresses won admiration.
Actresses like Juhi Chawla, Madhuri Dixit, and Sridevi were regarded as the pinnacles of beauty.
Fitness and exercise became a crucial component of Bollywood actresses’ beauty regimens during the 1980s.
Actresses began using several types of exercise, such as yoga and aerobics, to keep a toned and trim figure.
The emphasis on physical fitness also permeated the actresses’ outfits, which were made to highlight their lean physiques.
Grooming and beauty treatments were given a lot of importance by 1980s beauty standards.
It was standard for actresses to have immaculate skin, glossy hair, and flawless makeup.
Regular facials, hair treatments, and body washes were used as beauty treatments at the time to preserve a radiant and healthy complexion.
Thin and Lean
Early in the 1990s, a slender and toned body type was still highly valued in Indian beauty standards.
The beauty, grace, and glitz of the era’s actresses won admiration.
Actresses like Kajol and Karisma Kapoor were viewed as the definition of beauty.
However, as the 1990s went on, Bollywood’s beauty standards began to change in favour of a slimmer body type.
Actresses like Rani Mukerji, Aishwarya Rai, and Preity Zinta made the slender and lean body type a new standard in Bollywood.
In Bollywood, this new body ideal quickly caught on, and many actresses began to follow it.
The globalisation of the Indian film industry may be to blame for the move in Bollywood towards a slimmer body type.
Bollywood began to adopt Western beauty ideals as it began to become more and more well-known outside of India.
The emphasis on a slender and lean body type in Western beauty standards spread to Bollywood.
Fit and Healthy
Bollywood’s interest in health and fitness increased in the 2010s.
Actresses like Katrina Kaif, Priyanka Chopra, and Deepika Padukone among others have promoted healthy living and inspired their fans to lead more active lives.
Being fit and healthy was valued more highly than simply being skinny under the new body standard in Bollywood.
The actresses that adhered to this new norm were not hesitant to flaunt their toned bodies and frequently updated their followers on social media about their exercise regimens and diets.
The growing significance of global recognition was one of the elements that contributed to this transition in Bollywood towards a more toned and athletic body type.
The necessity to adhere to the Western world’s accepted standards of beauty arose when Bollywood began to take centre stage on the international scene.
Bollywood actresses began to adopt the fit and toned body type that was emphasised by Western beauty standards.
Bollywood actresses are still coveted for their glitz, beauty, and fitness.
It’s important to understand that beauty standards change with time and are not absolute.
Today, beauty comes in a wide variety of forms, and it is crucial to value this variety.
Millions of young girls in India look forward to Bollywood actresses as role models, and they should encourage positive body image and self-esteem.
Because how we feel on the inside is just as important as how we appear to others.