Actor Anjali Anand on body-shaming: Society sees my weight before my job
Actor Anjali Anand addressed the trolling around her weight while speaking about Dhamaal 4. In an exclusive interview, she said the backlash reflects how women are still judged by appearance before talent.
Actor Anjali Anand said conversations around a woman's appearance continue to overshadow her work, even in 2026. Speaking to India Today about the response to her role in Dhamaal 4 and the trolling around her weight, the actor said society still judges women by how they look before recognising their talent.
Speaking about the response to the Dhamaal 4 trailer, Anjali said, "I'm just overwhelmed by everything. I'm just hoping that everybody loves the film and things work out. I just hope I get a lot more beautiful parts from this. And yeh jo bhi noise ho rahi hai mere baare mein (whatever noise is being made about me), it just becomes nice and turns out to be great for me," she said.
When asked if it was disappointing that discussions about female actors still revolve around their weight rather than their work, Anand said it reflects society's mindset.
"Yeah, and I think that is still happening because society still reflects that. Society still believes, and still sees my weight first before my job. So jab tak woh hota rahega, tab tak main yeh kaam karti rahungi (as long as that continues to happen, I will keep doing this work) to prove ki that's wrong.”
Writing better roles for women
The actor believes filmmakers still have a long way to go in writing meaningful roles for women who don't fit the conventional heroine mould. "There's still a long way to go when it comes to writing better roles for women. That's what I'm trying to do. The more people see me, the more their thinking opens up. They'll start believing that they can write something better for this actor, for this role- something that uses her skills rather than just her body.
Talking about signing the film, Anand admitted she had mixed emotions because of the subject it touches upon. "It's a big turmoil because it's a very big responsibility if you're taking up something so vulnerable, something you stand up against all the time. Something that you know is not right. Something that should not be done in society."
She added, "But then I thought that this is still being done in society, and we're just showing society what their reality is. And if they're offended by that, that means they're doing this as well."
Beyond fat shaming
According to Anand, appearance-based judgment goes far beyond weight. "It's not just about fat shaming. People shame others for being too thin, for their skin colour, for not having hair, for how they look, what they wear, which brand they wear- everything. The day that stops, which honestly may never happen, what we can do is present these issues in a different light and show people what's possible.
Reflecting on how women are being written in mainstream cinema today, Anand said she has noticed a gradual shift.
“Things are changing slowly. Earlier, characters like Miss Mimi were just shown eating burgers, or Sweetu was reduced to having a double chocolate frappuccino and muffins. There was no stand taken for those characters. But with Sweetu, things began to change. Then came Gayathri in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, who stood up for herself," she said.
The actor added, "Women today have agency. There's a community standing behind them. They've been given space, and they're owning that space. It's a slow process because there are so many people in this country and the world, but the change will reach everyone eventually."
Trolling around the film
Responding to the online trolling she faced after the film's promotions, Anand revealed that the team had anticipated it. "We knew the trolling would happen. We were prepared for it, so we didn't give it too much importance. The more attention you give trolls, the more they grow. If you don't acknowledge it, that's just how life is. Some people get trolled, some can handle it, some can't. We're simply showing the reality of someone who goes through that.
Asked whether anyone from the Dhamaal 4 team, including Ajay Devgn or the director, reached out to support her after the trolling, Anand laughed it off. "Because I don't look like someone who needs to be spoken to deal with it, you know. They know that this girl can take a hundred on her chin and still be standing."
Dhamaal 4 is set to release on April 10. The film stars Ajay Devgn, Arshad Warsi, Jave Jaffery, Anjali Anand and Sanjay Mishra among others.
Actor Anjali Anand said conversations around a woman's appearance continue to overshadow her work, even in 2026. Speaking to India Today about the response to her role in Dhamaal 4 and the trolling around her weight, the actor said society still judges women by how they look before recognising their talent.
Speaking about the response to the Dhamaal 4 trailer, Anjali said, "I'm just overwhelmed by everything. I'm just hoping that everybody loves the film and things work out. I just hope I get a lot more beautiful parts from this. And yeh jo bhi noise ho rahi hai mere baare mein (whatever noise is being made about me), it just becomes nice and turns out to be great for me," she said.
When asked if it was disappointing that discussions about female actors still revolve around their weight rather than their work, Anand said it reflects society's mindset.
"Yeah, and I think that is still happening because society still reflects that. Society still believes, and still sees my weight first before my job. So jab tak woh hota rahega, tab tak main yeh kaam karti rahungi (as long as that continues to happen, I will keep doing this work) to prove ki that's wrong.”
Writing better roles for women
The actor believes filmmakers still have a long way to go in writing meaningful roles for women who don't fit the conventional heroine mould. "There's still a long way to go when it comes to writing better roles for women. That's what I'm trying to do. The more people see me, the more their thinking opens up. They'll start believing that they can write something better for this actor, for this role- something that uses her skills rather than just her body.
Talking about signing the film, Anand admitted she had mixed emotions because of the subject it touches upon. "It's a big turmoil because it's a very big responsibility if you're taking up something so vulnerable, something you stand up against all the time. Something that you know is not right. Something that should not be done in society."
She added, "But then I thought that this is still being done in society, and we're just showing society what their reality is. And if they're offended by that, that means they're doing this as well."
Beyond fat shaming
According to Anand, appearance-based judgment goes far beyond weight. "It's not just about fat shaming. People shame others for being too thin, for their skin colour, for not having hair, for how they look, what they wear, which brand they wear- everything. The day that stops, which honestly may never happen, what we can do is present these issues in a different light and show people what's possible.
Reflecting on how women are being written in mainstream cinema today, Anand said she has noticed a gradual shift.
“Things are changing slowly. Earlier, characters like Miss Mimi were just shown eating burgers, or Sweetu was reduced to having a double chocolate frappuccino and muffins. There was no stand taken for those characters. But with Sweetu, things began to change. Then came Gayathri in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, who stood up for herself," she said.
The actor added, "Women today have agency. There's a community standing behind them. They've been given space, and they're owning that space. It's a slow process because there are so many people in this country and the world, but the change will reach everyone eventually."
Trolling around the film
Responding to the online trolling she faced after the film's promotions, Anand revealed that the team had anticipated it. "We knew the trolling would happen. We were prepared for it, so we didn't give it too much importance. The more attention you give trolls, the more they grow. If you don't acknowledge it, that's just how life is. Some people get trolled, some can handle it, some can't. We're simply showing the reality of someone who goes through that.
Asked whether anyone from the Dhamaal 4 team, including Ajay Devgn or the director, reached out to support her after the trolling, Anand laughed it off. "Because I don't look like someone who needs to be spoken to deal with it, you know. They know that this girl can take a hundred on her chin and still be standing."
Dhamaal 4 is set to release on April 10. The film stars Ajay Devgn, Arshad Warsi, Jave Jaffery, Anjali Anand and Sanjay Mishra among others.
