You Don’t Need to Shrink Yourself to Fit into Someone Else’s Fantasy: Prisha Dhatwalia

Wedding time is supposed to be one of the happiest moments in a girl’s life. But in Sunjoy Waddhawa’s Meri Bhavya Life, Bhavya (played by Prisha Dhatwalia) is facing something completely different. While she and Rishank (Karan Vohra) are preparing for their big day, Bhavya is being hurt emotionally by her mother-in-law, Sakshi, who keeps making her feel bad about her body size.

 

 

In the latest episodes, Sakshi tricks Bhavya into wearing a dress that’s too tight. Bhavya struggles to fix it at the last minute so she can feel okay in it. But then, at a public event, her dupatta falls off and photographers start clicking pictures. Instead of enjoying the moment, Bhavya hears people whispering and making nasty comments about her body. It becomes an embarrassing and painful experience.

Prisha Dhatwalia, who plays Bhavya, says this kind of shaming happens too often in real life, especially to women who don’t fit society’s “ideal” body size. She shares how hard it is for plus-size brides to find a wedding outfit they love and feel good in.

Prisha says,

“People always talk about how fun it is to shop for your wedding dress – the colours, the sparkle, the styles. But no one talks about the fear you feel when you know most dresses in the store won’t even fit you. Suddenly, your options are limited. You’re either shown boring, shapeless dresses, or people say you should lose weight to wear what you like. That’s not fair.”

She adds,

“There’s a lot of pressure on brides to go on crash diets, hide their arms, and look slim in photos. I’ve heard many brides say they’ll only shop for their dress after losing weight. But why? Why should a happy occasion begin with shame or the need to change yourself?”

For her, a bridal outfit should make a woman feel beautiful, proud, and comfortable — just the way she is.

“You shouldn’t have to fit into the outfit. The outfit should fit you,” she says.

“Every bride, no matter her size, deserves to feel special on her wedding day. You shouldn’t have to shrink yourself to fit into someone else’s idea of beauty.”