Actor Ram Kapoor has come under fire after an old interview clip resurfaced online, in which he made comments about Smriti Irani’s physical appearance during their time working together on the iconic television show Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. In the video, Kapoor is seen reflecting on how both he and Irani gained weight during the long-running series. He said, “When she began Kyunki and when she concluded, she was colossal. we were equally successful.” He continued that Irani permitted herself to get larger as the age and development of her character grew, wearing everything from a wife to a grandmother throughout the show’s numerous leaps. Kapoor also admitted Irani’s professional advancement by stating that if she had stayed in television, she could have been even more successful than him, but she chose to shift to politics and continued to attain phenomenal success.
While Kapoor seemed to justify his words by citing Irani’s physical change as the need of her role and the natural flow of the plot, most viewers and netizens were not happy. The resurfaced clip sparked harsh commentary on social media, with users labeling his words as insensitive and verging on body-shaming. One user wrote, “She legit performed in her pregnancies … really fitted the character,” while another asked, “Why are we always bringing a woman and her size into a conversation with a man?
” Critics pointed out that even though Kapoor may have intended to compliment Irani’s talent and success, the focus on her weight felt unnecessary and demeaning. The timing of the clip’s circulation added fuel to the fire, as Kapoor is already facing public scrutiny following his removal from promotions of his latest series Mistry, due to earlier controversial statements. The outrage over the Smriti Irani video only added fuel to the fire of criticism against him. In the same previous interview, Kapoor had talked about how it’s hard for obese male actors to be successful in the film industry, but used Irani as an exception, someone who, in spite of her obesity, became extremely successful.
Yet the phrasing of his words has raised eyebrows, with many contending that continually associating a woman’s weight with her career success diminishes her abilities and reinforces outmoded myths.
To date, Smriti Irani has not spoken out against the controversy. Having transitioned so successfully from being among television’s most popular faces to taking up important political office, she still inspires respect and admiration. In the meantime, the video still circulates online, re-igniting meaningful discussions about body image, gendered double standards, and the way that public figures talk about their contemporaries.
