Actor-politician Khushbu Sundar has spoken out against the scrutiny women face over their age, appearance and bodies. In a detailed social media post, she extended her support to Katrina Kaif and questioned the double standards surrounding how women and men are perceived as they grow older.Khushbu also reflected on the physical and emotional changes associated with motherhood, drawing from her own experiences with body-related criticism.
Khushbu Sundar questions society’s focus on women’s age
Khushbu Sundar questioned why women are often judged by whether they continue to conform to conventional ideas of youth and attractiveness. She asked who decided that women have a particular period that can be defined as their “prime”.Her post read, “Why is a woman’s age always treated like a public announcement? The moment a woman crosses a certain age, society starts measuring her ‘Is she still in her prime?’ ‘Has she maintained herself?’ ‘Why does she look different?’ ‘Has she aged?’”She went on to highlight what she described as a contrasting attitude towards ageing men.“But where is this obsession when it comes to men? A man goes bald, he is ‘distinguished.’ A man develops a 40 inch waist, nobody asks what happened to his ‘prime.’ A man grows grey or completely white hair, suddenly he is ‘salt-and-pepper handsome,’ ‘mature,’ ‘charismatic.’”Khushbu further questioned why women are subjected to greater scrutiny as they age.“When a man ages, he is allowed to become more attractive with experience. But a woman ages, and suddenly every wrinkle, every kilo, every grey hair and every change in her body becomes a subject for public debate. Who decided that a woman has a ‘prime’ and who gave society the authority to decide when she has passed it? And why is a woman expected to remain frozen at the age at which the world first found her beautiful?”
Khushbu Sundar talks about changes after childbirth
Khushbu then highlighted the physical, hormonal and emotional changes women can experience after giving birth. She said motherhood can bring about a profound transformation while society often focuses disproportionately on a woman’s appearance afterwards.She wrote, “When a woman gives birth to a child, she goes through a rebirth of her own. The hormonal, physical, emotional and psychological changes are immense. Her body has carried, nurtured and brought another life into this world. Yet instead of celebrating what she has been through, we scrutinise how she looks afterwards.”
Khushbu Sundar backs Katrina Kaif
Khushbu also directly addressed Katrina Kaif, describing her as beautiful while discussing her own experiences of being judged over her body.“#KatrinaKaif was, is and will always be beautiful. I, as someone who has personally experienced the changes that come with motherhood and body transformation, I understand this journey deeply. I know what it feels like to be judged for your body.“When I was heavier, I was ridiculed and even used to depict women who were supposedly ‘obese and ugly.’ Today, after losing weight, I am asked, or rather the society has confirmed i am on injection doses. How many of these people from the society have paid for me to procure these injections? Apparently, society will always find something to say, whatever a woman looks like, whatever she does, and whatever stage of life she is in.”Khushbu concluded her post by telling Katrina to continue living life on her own terms.“We women are not answerable to every damn man who thinks he has the right to describe, dissect or define us. Katrina, you have always lived your life on your terms, with dignity, grace and self-respect. Continue to do exactly that..,” she wrote.
Khushbu Sundar’s upcoming films
On the work front, Khushbu Sundar is reportedly part of the pan-India mythological action-fantasy film ‘Indraputra’, which stars Kiran Abbavaram and is directed by Srikanth Puppala. She is also set to appear in the Jr NTR-starrer ‘Dragon’, directed by Prashanth Neel.