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“Kiss free, Love free, Live free”: What does Befikre have in store?

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“Kiss free, Love free, Live free”.

Life ought to be as simple as that. And it is (or eventually becomes) for the leading couple of ‘Befikre’. But life is never this easy, frivolous and convenient. And that is probably why the narration of ‘Befikre’ seems to take a flight from reality, every now and then.  In a nutshell, there is too much intimacy, too much cliché and too much overacting in ‘Befikre’ for one to digest. Shot largely in the fabled ‘City of Love’, ‘Befikre’ grants itself the license to breezily demonstrate all forms of physical intimacy in the most blatant and unabashed fashion. The movie begins with a five minute long shot of sundry couples making out, with Parisian scenery rolling out in the background.  Don’t be fooled by these five minutes. They are integral to the movie. They very aptly set and describe the mood of the entire movie.  Because all you get in the next 175 minutes that follow are glimpses of promiscuous and amorous activities, strewn together by a weak story line. ‘Befikre’ is the love story of Dharam and Shyra. Both are wild and represent the ‘free’ spirited attitude of the youth. They share a lusty relationship which comes to its inevitable end when they fail to successfully live together and see eye-to-eye. Then they decide to become friends. Their ambiguous friendship soon blossoms into best friendship. But things get complicated when Shyra starts dating the ‘perfect man’, putting Dharam in an envious spot. Things finally spiral out of control when Shyra gets engaged to the said ‘perfect man’. Dharam’s loneliness, competitiveness, jealousy and inherent stupidity drive him to propose a random French hooker in retaliation. The bottom line:  The two protagonists are set to get married to their respective partners in a double wedding celebration on the same day. Sounds all too familiar? Then wait for the climax. Because come D-day and voila!To the shock and horror of the audience( yes, you wish!) only one wedding takes place: the matrimony of Dharam and Shyra. Surprised? Sure, if you’ve never seen a Bollywood  Yash Raj romcom. Cliché? To the point where you want to hang yourself for spending your last bit of currency on such a movie in times of a dire cash crunch. There are some mildly likeable things. Like the upbeat music, the groovy dance segments and decent cinematography. Although Vaani Kapoor steals the show, her performance gets overshadowed by Ranveer Singh’s loud, overly boisterous and unnecessarily in-your- face overacting. Unfortunately for the movie, that’s a bad thing. In all, ‘Befikre’ is the kind of movie you should watch if you have time to kill. However, if you value your time and your hard-earned money, give this one a miss. Also, if you’re a fan of Ranveer Singh, better hold your peace and wait for his next release. Because this one just might kill any (or absolutely all) of the love that you have for him.   Image Credits: www.indianexpress.com Kriti Sharma [email protected]  ]]>

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The Auburn Umbrella

WINTER WARDROBE SPECIAL: EMBRACING COLOUR SPECIAL STYLE!

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Winter is coming.

If Ned Stark were to use these famous words to define the current weather of Delhi, he could not be more off the mark. Because winter isn’t coming. Rather, it is here already, too fast, too soon and portending colder times ahead.

The setting may be dark and grey, but why let that directly reflect in your wardrobe? In fact, the general feeling of lethargy and gloom can be triumphantly fought by simply adding a dash of colour and spunk to your winter style. At The Auburn Umbrella, we believe that winter doesn’t have to be about blacks, greys and blues inducing shades of blue.  In fact, we passionately advocate bright, bold and beautiful hues! After all, why wait for the winter sun, when you can be your own sunshine?

Here is a list of 5 colour categories (and how best to bring them to the fore) that will spice up your winter:

A.  ZEST
winter-wadrobe-zest
This palette represents the zingy shades of yellow and orange. Included herein are colours like mustard, sunflower yellow, flame and pumpkin orange. Mufflers, beanies and gloves offer the opportunity to wear these colours in a minimalistic, not-so outlandish way.  Because you really don’t want to look like a bumblebee, right?

B.  NATURAL AND RUSTICwinter-wadrobe-natural-and-rustic

Earthy tones like dark green, olive, chocolate brown, rust and fawn enhance the look of winter wear like boots, coats and cardigans. Don’t murder the look with extra add-ons. Keep it simple andau naturale.

C. ELEGANCE
winter-wadrobe-elegance
Burgundy, wine, champagne and maroon scream sophistication to no end! Embrace jackets, blazers and accessories in these colours to bring a little bit of that glamour to your everyday wardrobe. The main thing to remember here is to reveal only a smidgeon of this palette in your attire, as you don’t want the look to manifest fake/desperate/false snobbery.

D. PASTELSwinter-wadrobe-pastels
Pastels do a fabulous job of keeping you cool and light during the scorching summer months. But they play an equally important role in adding a certain bit of charm and sweetness to your winter wardrobe. Woollens in pastel blues, pinks and pale yellows are reminiscent of grandma’s much-cherished, hand-knit cardigans, mufflers and gloves. When these are teamed with quintessentially winter patterns like snowflakes, Christmas trees and bells, memories of a sepia childhood become palpable.

E. CLASSICwinter-wadrobe-classic
Though in the beginning of this fashion piece, we endorsed a more experimental dressing approach, we can’t deny the abundance that the fashion industry has to offer in shades of grey, blue and black and white.  Be it in clothing like jerseys, cardigans, coats and jackets; accessories like berets, mittens, and stolls; or footwear like boots and uggs, it is hard to pass over these evergreen shades. So don’t be in denial and wear these colours with panache!

Kriti Sharma
[email protected]

Image Credits:
Feature Image-  quotesgram.com

Zest-  fashionvilas.com

Natural and Rustic-  pinterest.com

Elegance- pinterest.com

Pastels-wheretoget.com

Classic- pinterest.com

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DUB Speak

Perks of living in a hostel: How it changes you for the better

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As final year slowly draws in and the curtains of my college life fall, memories from the three years gone by often reflect in the mirror of my mind. In such pensive moments as these I realise, that amongst the many things that I will miss, the one thing I hold most dear to my heart is the experience of living in a hostel.

As a single girl child, growing up, I had always been pampered and spoilt silly. So much so, that by the end of class twelfth, I had become grossly dependent on my parents. My lack of self-sufficiency worried my family. They feared that I would be a complete disaster if I had to ever make a living for myself. Their qualms were scarcely misplaced: when I moved into a hostel as a fresher, I made a complete mess of my life in the initial few months.

I had emotional as well as physical problems. I couldn’t adapt to community living. I hated the food at the mess. My obsession for neatness turned fatal as most of the other girls were extremely negligent about hygiene and tidiness. I couldn’t deal with the idea of sharing the washroom with five other girls. My room felt too small. Concentrating on studies became increasingly difficult with my wild neighbours playing music all the time. My sleeping patterns were thrown off their normal equilibrium and honestly, the list of complaints is endless!

When I went back home for the mid-semester break, I threw a feral fit. I firmly told my parents I wasn’t going back to that hellhole of a place and when they refused to give in, I threatened them and eventually went into a state of denial. That’s how I spent my ten-day week away from hostel.

When I returned, I carried the heaviness of depression for a week more. But one fine day, it struck me that in this apparently grim situation, I was the only unhappy soul. Neither the hostellers in my immediate environment, nor my parents back home suffered. The misery seemed specific to me. And that made me realise that I was the creator of my own sadness. When I complained and whined about my grievances, no one offered to help because at the end of the day, no one really could. It was my wish to study at DU and living in the hostel was simply the price I had to pay for it.

That day, I decided to turn my life around. I woke up to the hard truth that the life I had was the one I had chosen and so I ought to live it to the best of my abilities. Not much had been lost, I told myself, and made the firm choice to give life another shot. And just that one change in mind completely changed me.

Today, I am so independent that I am not just doing things for myself, but also for others.  From being served food to making it myself; from throwing my dirty laundry around the room to washing every handkerchief with my own bare hands; from snoozing alarms and waking up at noon to rising with the crack of dawn and going for a run, I have become a whole new person. Everyone seems to appreciate the new me. My parents, in fact, are so complacent with my independence that now, when I speak of my plans of going abroad for higher education, they are not just encouraging but alsoconfident that I will survive.

College life has been a great journey. And the hallmark has, indubitably, been my three-year stint in the hostel. They say that every person should live away from home at least once in their life, because only then does one get the chance to explore and find their own path in life. I couldn’t agree more.

Kriti Sharma
[email protected]

Image Credits:
rentmantra.com

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DUB Speak

An exam guide on how to beat the cold and study

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Last month, I struck the following deal with myself: Let go and give in to the unavoidable October festivities, only to come back in full form and study hard from day one of November. But half of November was already over and my progress graph is a terrifying horizontal line. I didn’t study then, and I am unable to study now. The only thing that has changed over the course of time (last week of October and first week of November) is my enemy. While previously, I was battling the ‘levity’ induced by the grand festival of Diwali, now, I am struggling to keep my productivity high against the laziness-inducing ‘winter cold’.

But with less time on my hands to prepare for the semester exams, it’s time I pulled up my socks (to keep the cold away, too?) and got down to business.

After a lot of thought and research, I’ve put together the following strategy to boost my efficiency and effectiveness and tackle the present evil aka ‘winter cold’ that is thwarting all my attempts at studying:

1. Wake up early and exercise
The hardest thing to do during the winter is to pull yourself out of the warm blanket and get to work. But if you have a morning exercise regime scheduled, you can not only get a head start to your day, but also have the sweat you work up in the process keep you warm and enthused through the day!

2. Bathe and dress warm
I know, it is hard shedding layers in the cold. But a bath with warm water, followed by dressing up in snug woollens is the best weapon against this winter cold! Once you’re warm, you can focus on studying and not get affected by the bone-chilling cold around you.

3. Eating small meals at regular intervals
Appetite in winter goes off the roof! Tame your mind and hunger by keeping your tummy content with healthy and frequent snacking. Think nuts and fruits. This way, you’ll concentrate better as you’ll be giving your brain the necessary and regular supply of glucose it needs.

4. Skip the siesta
Afternoon (when it’s warm) is the time when the sun is up at its brightest best. Don’t let this golden period of productivity go by sleeping through it. Instead, study outdoors. And get your eight-hour shut eye by sleeping early at night (when it’s cold).

5. Drink up on warm fluids and beverages
Coffee, green tea, lukewarm water and the works: these are your best buddies through the cold winter nights as they not only keep you feeling pleasantly warm, but also bring about the much need mental stimulation!

With this list, I hope that like me, you feel adequately equipped to fight the ‘winter cold’ and salvage the semester!
All the best!

Kriti Sharma
[email protected]

Image Credits:  blogdailyherald.com

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DUB Speak

How I managed to rid myself off my last 500 rupee note!

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Daddy Dearest has never approved of my reckless instinct of burning his hard-earned money on nonessential internet shopping.  But for once, he was proud (almost to the extent of patting me on the shoulder) when this very addiction helped me dispose off my last 500 rupee note.

The amusing incident unravelled as follows: A day after the 500 and 1000 rupee notes were declared redundant, I received an unexpected phone call from a number which Truecaller refused to identify.  On answering the call the second time around, I learnt that it was from the delivery man carrying my most recent online order for a dress worth rupees 550.  In the course of the conversation, when I asked him about the payment, the man quite blatantly declared that he wouldn’t be accepting cash in the form of multiples of 500 and 1000 rupee notes.  To such unrelenting firmness, I almost gagged.  Clearly, it was too soon for me to be in possession of the new currency denominations and my first impulse was to worry about the cancellation of my order.

Like an idiot, I revealed my anxiety to him. This was a huge mistake on my part, which the clever delivery man decided to instantly exploit. He very calmly tried to placate my fears, and then went on to spring the worst kind of surprise on me. He agreed to accept my 500 rupee note, provided I paid him a premium of rupee 50 (and therefore, a lump sum of rupees 600) for his kind gesture.

Yes, at the time, I was grossly desperate. Because I not just wanted to receive my order, but also get rid of the seemingly cursed note. Yet, my temporary flight from rationality ceased when good sense returned and I flatly refused his beguiling offer. The man, however, was rather perseverant; to the point where he hung up on me when I held my ground.

For about an hour, I moped around the house, blaming my ill-luck and horoscope.  But just when I had reconciled with the situation, I received a phone call from the same number. I took my time in answering, but was delighted to hear the delivery man say (although rather grudgingly) that he would deliver my order in under forty five minutes, and accept the 500 rupee bill too!

I’m not quite sure what changed the man’s iron resolve. Perhaps, he would have been penalised (rebuked, or worse, fired) for late/non-delivery by his superiors. After all, only a serious threat would make a man of his doggedness give in.  But I was extremely happy. I got my dress (which was worth the wait, verbal tussle and mental harassment) and also spent the 500 rupee note. Like The Bard would say, “All’s well that ends well”,eh?

But all humour aside, here’s a sincere request to all those who are still in possession of the obsolete currency: Don’t get bullied by vendors and the like into paying premiums in exchange for accepting your old money. Because this in itself is an unlawful practice, the perpetuation of which defeats the purpose of demonetisation. Go to a bank. Or, spend wisely!

Image Credits: Yahoo India Finance 

  
Kriti Sharma
[email protected]

 

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Campus Central

Josh Talks Leap: A powwow with stories

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Josh Talks Leap 2016 at the Tyagraj Stadium, INA. The event was spread over the last weekend with over twenty four speakers. The organisers rightfully took pride over the fact that this was a sort of antithesis to the general scene of a filled auditorium at the beginning and a scattered void at the end. A well chalked out venue, apt timing in sync with the climate in the capital, a wide number of food stalls serving multiple cuisines, the professionalism in the volunteers, and most importantly a list of speakers from almost all the fields that touch lives validated the amount of brain that had been put in. The event also revealed the experience of the past years which the organisers had capitalised upon. Witty, humorous and patient, the JTL could not have a better face than Deepak Ramola, an educator and an outstanding poet, who maintained the aura all through. He was interactive and charming. “Now you don’t always see the hosts getting this lot of applauds, cheers and smiles,” said the person sitting in the audience. This probably was one of the most prolific gamut of speakers in the seminars of the recent times. Everyone had a tale to tell. The energy with which Shofia Asraf summed up her entire rap-for-society carrier, instigating everyone to start caring about things that really mattered generated epidemic goosebumps. Whether with her unsponsering of Dow’ Chemicals, the firm responsible for Bhopal Gas Tragedy or her Uniliver bashing, she was strong and effective. The little girl of 11 in Ishita Katyal, already a bestseller author of “Simran’s Diary” and a Tech Global summit speaker, left the audience in awe when she put forward her strong views on the condition of kids reared in poverty around the world. Anurag Kashyap, evidently the most awaited speaker of the show was innocently honest. “No one cares for your dreams but you. And en route to following your passion, the most difficult part is the one between loving what you do and money coming out of it. That’s when most people give up”. This was Mr. Kashyap at his retrospective self. josh-talks The pragmatic director beautifully depicted his life, dreams, struggle and failure. Akkai Padmashali, the transgender trailblazer, talked about the discriminatory approach which the nation has been taking against the third sex. josh-talks-1 There were even moments of pride when Sheelika Ravishankar took to the stage with Indi, the rover which was going to be the first Indian on the moon under the Indus mission of Lunar X programme. The event concluded with a surprise performance by Papa CJ, the famous English comedian. The hysteria of laughter that followed summed up the two day extravaganza. With lessons for young artists, writers, athletes, technocrats, entrepreneurs and dreamers, Josh Talks Leap 2016 was successful in kindling those stories and making them heard. One could clearly see the satisfaction on the faces of the audience at the end of the show. “I am coming here again”, someone was heard saying. Image Credits- Josh Talks Leap Nikhil Kumar [email protected] ]]>

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DUB Speak

WHAT NO ONE TOLD YOU: THE TRUTH BEHIND THE JNU CASE AND THE CURRENT NATIONAL POLITICS

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The nation is happy when it should not be. It is wrong on issues it should not be. We are unaware of facts we ought not to be. We are silent when it is crime to be so. We are trusting people who are back stabbing. We don’t know but we are on the course of a civil war.

As the semester draws to close, the great Indian conspiracy of the vilification of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), the premier bastion of sheer intellect and knowledge by a series of scandals of ABVP and deliberate inaction and political hypocrisy of the NDA government aided by the amenable Police Force and certain biased television channels seeking sensationalism can be viewed as one of the most remarkable events in the intellectual circuits. It has been one of those few phenomenons in the history of independent India where the entire nation has so beautifully formed an unquestionable biased opinion on such a massive scale. This undeniably portrays the penetrative power of forced opinions of a majoritarian government but at the same time it shows the utter failure of media and opposition as the watchdogs of the largest democracy on the earth. To utter dismay, the entire definition of nationalism has been hijacked, mutilated, and corrupted by the help of a majority and silence of the remaining. Unfortunately, what should have been a grand retaliation by the opposition remains an unchallenged battle. The divided opposition parties continue to act like a deer caught before the headlights.

The JNU episode hasn’t been any out-of-nowhere opening of any Pandora’s Box. Every little detail seems to have been meticulously planned to gradually decimate the charisma and the reputation of the single resistive institution in the whole of nation.

The 9th Feb incident was the crescendo of a heinous opera, which was the first episode of the series broadcasted on world television. The series of events gave the government enough opportunity to take action against JNUSU as they started picking up students illegally from inside and outside the campus.

The entire orchestra had been aimed to malign the dreams of countless students to be a part of the institution which has produced the best of politicians, bureaucrats and scholars. Certain media houses earned huge TRP portraying certain students as terrorists, calling the university “den of desh-drohis” and oversimplifying things to the people of India as ” a choice between the support to the sacrifice of Hanuman Thappa and these ‘anti-nationals’.

Evidently, the 9th Feb. reporting was a bitter pill to swallow. The pertinent smile on the face of Umar Khalid when being bashed on the Newshour Debate quite nullified and mocked the allegations.

After our countless detours around the campus, things started becoming horribly clear. We came across students who had no record of political career to get to the roots of the February 9th events in an unbiased manner.

“I have been keeping a close scrutiny right since day 1. It all started when a group of 10 left winged students organised a peaceful event in solidarity with the people of Kashmir. The event was about to start when a group of ABVP activists, with some Zee News people, started sloganeering against the leftist gathering there, calling them anti- nationals. As the slogan war got heated, some people with their faces masked joined in with the separatist slogans. They were immediately asked to stop by the organisers,” a postgraduate student and her friends were quoted as saying, on the promise of being kept anonymous.

This is the true picture. But the internal conspiracy, who those masked men were, still remains blurry.

“Since the Feb incident, random people ask us if we’re here study or backstab the country. This narrative has spread so fiercely that people have stopped using their sense, their logic.” tells Priyanka, a PhD scholar.

“Mr. Narendra Modi needs to realise that by defaming institutions and instigating hollow nationalism, he cannot hide his failures. He has also got to check the spoiled brat in ABVP, which in addition to damaging the party beyond repair, is costing the nation its cultural fabric. ABVP can only lead to Kashmir like situation in the rest of the nation,” said another anonymous faculty, waiting on the bus stand.

Feature Image Credits- hindustantimes.com
Nikhil Kumar
[email protected]

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Top Picks

‘Third Year Bucket List’ for an introvert

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An introvert is a shy or reticent person, who is predominantly concerned with their own thoughts and is not bothered or hassled by external things. If this defines the person you innately are, or have been in the past two years of your college, then it’s time you tweaked things around a little.

Although being an introvert is perfectly acceptable, when you’re in the final year of college, a certain poignant realisation will come to you: there are so many opportunities that college life had to offer, but you missed out on most of them because you chose to stay your aloof self.

Yes, a welter of regret and remorse will then engulf your until now unperturbed existence. Suddenly, you’ll start doubting yourself and your choices: “Maybe I should have gone for the unofficial freshers’ party,” or “Maybe one night out from the hostel wouldn’t have hurt my credibility as much!” Before you think you’ve killed all your reasons for existence (drama queen!), do calm yourself by remembering that you still have half a semester, and then yet another one, to redeem yourself.

Here’s your official Bucket List. Get started!

1. Take a road trip
Even before Bollywood popularised the idea of road trips (Dil Chahta Hai and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara), taking a trip with your college friends was already a very collegiate thing to do. A road trip is symbolic of one’s new found freedom after leaving school and joining college. If you haven’t taken one in the last two years, now is the time to take one. Third Year road trips are even more grand, made better with the bitter sweet nostalgia and the sense of an era ending.

plan-a-road-trip

2. Go clubbing!
You don’t have to drink. You don’t have to hook up with a stranger. All you have to do is put on some nice clothes and a fun attitude and head out to a club to dance and enjoy the ambience of a lounge! Also, to watch other people get drunk and act funny. And of course, get your sozzled friends safely back home.

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3. Buy designer wear
Delhi University is known for its fashionable crowd. Here, you’ll find students dressed in both branded couture and street fashion. As an introvert, you’ve probably spent college life picking up thrifty clothes. But for once, stop being stingy, give yourself a little moment of indulgence and buy something branded. It doesn’t have to be a formal dress or a suit and tie. It could be something as simple as a t-shirt. But buy it from a brand at the mall, not Sarojini Nagar. And then wear it with panache. You’ll get a serious high!

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4. Try out campus food
You’ve always been plucky about food- hygiene, quality, and price. But for once, let the prude in you take a back seat. Be adventurous; let go. Indulge in the fatty, calorie-dense, rich, yet price-wise cheap food that the many thriving restaurants and street hawkers in campus have to offer. You won’t fall sick or put on weight with a day or two of mindless feasting. So when there is nothing to lose, but much to gain, why not give it a shot?

images-29

5. Bunk a lecture
The fact that you’ve never purposefully bunked a lecture, is, a shame. One lecture foregone won’t dent your immaculate attendance. So what are you waiting for? Like Nike says, ‘Just Do It!’

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Kriti Sharma
[email protected]

Image Credits:
Feature Image – www.barringtonstoke.co.uk

1.toitime.wordpress.com
2.totallystockholm.se
3.evolutioncell.com
4.wisegeek.com
5.economydecoded.com

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DUB Speak

BODY SHAMING- 2: Why I like being SKINNY

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Who said that to be supermodel slim or thin had to be a bad thing? Here’s how ‘the Skinny’ make the best of who and what they are!

The world can be a cruel place for a skinny person. Imagine being constantly accused of having an eating disorder or nutritional deficiency (anaemia, bulimia and anorexia), when in fact, you are in the pink of your health! When it comes to being thin, people become extremely hypocritical wherein they idolise and adore skinny celebrities (Megan Fox and Deepika Padukone) but look down upon regular girls who are just as thin, or maybe slightly more slender.

But guess what, my thin friend. You don’t have to let this unfair and unjust world get to you. There are several advantages that you can enjoy by virtue of being as slim as you are!

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A. Shop at the kid’s section

Most high-end and foreign brands have a diverse variety in the kid’s section. When you’re thin and can fit into clothes from the kid’s section, not only do you get to explore and pick from a wider range, but you can also land better and cheaper deals!
Eg: I buy my sports gear from Reebok Kids, which is cheaper and brighter!

B. There’s always space for you!

When it comes to finding room in crowded spaces, you’ve got absolutely nothing to worry about because no matter how tight the situation is, there’s always room for petite you!
Eg: Even during the busiest metro hours, I always find space in the ladies’ compartment when I request the women to scoot and room becomes available in between two seats. I may not get an entire seat, yes,but honestly, my tiny frame doesn’t need one anyway!

C. Eat all you want without a worry

When people meet me, both new and old, they always publicly exclaim, “You’re so thin! You have to eat more!” These very people then get the shock of their lives when they actually see the amount I eat! Most skinny people ironically have a huge appetite. And they can eat almost anything without it ever showing up in the form of love handles and a stubborn paunch. Now, in retrospection, isn’t that the most wonderful thing? More cakes and ice cream, and you still want to complain?

D. International size= International brands

Skinny people would agree that Indian clothing brands don’t cater to our size. Clothes labelled ‘S’ at Pantaloons and Big Bazar are just too big and represent a ‘curvy’ small, rather than a ‘petite’ small. That’s when brands like Forever 21, Zara, H&M and Mango come to our rescue! These brands not just have the ‘XS’ and ‘US 0/2’ size available, but also give us thin girls an opportunity to stand out in a crowd, donning high-end, international fashion!

E.Thin can be healthy too!

If, like me, you are thin because you’re athletic and follow a disciplined diet and nutrition programme, then you’re slimness represents good health! So rather than cribbing and letting people tell you otherwise, enjoy the fact that you’re at the peak of your health and although you may not see the benefits of your meticulous fitness regime just yet, when you’re older (mid-life), you’ll reap its benefits ( like slower ageing, high energy levels etc).

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Image Credits:
Feature Image Credits- tumblr.com
thinbodyacceptance.tumblr.com
uk.pinterest.com

Kriti Sharma
[email protected]

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The Auburn Umbrella

Body Shaming, Part 1: The ugly sides of a demonic coin

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To name and shame is an offence to human dignity and identity and an unforgivable sin worthy of the severest form of retribution.

In my childhood, I was teased and bullied for being fat. Monikers like tubby, roly-poly and plump were so frequently hurled at me, that my gullible nine year old self lost her identity (and eventually, sanity) to these derogatory labels.

During my teenage, I was teased and bullied for being skinny. This meant dealing with the censure and disdain of ‘concerned’ friends and family, who did nothing but accuse me of harbouring disorders like bulimia and anorexia (when, in fact, I was certified healthy by the doctor). So you see, it appears that all my life, I have been a victim of body shaming, having experienced a bitter dose of both its nasty faces.

Image Credits: en.paperblog.com
Image Credits: en.paperblog.com

Body shaming is defined as inappropriate negative statements and attitudes towards another person’s weight or size. Many misunderstand it to mean discrimination against only the overweight. However, today even the skinny aren’t spared with the humiliation and shame. Body shaming occurs when: a) one criticises one’s own appearance, b) one criticises another’s appearance in front of them, or c) one criticises another’s appearance without their knowledge. Whatever be the form that body shaming assumes, the ugly fact of the matter is that a practice like body shaming upholds the idea that one’s appearance is the all-important and sole parameter for judging a person’s personality and character.

Image credits: Knowyourmeme.com
Image credits: Knowyourmeme.com

The irony of a notion like body shaming is that the one who victimises the overweight/skinny for being physically ‘unhealthy’ is in fact, himself/herself mentally ‘unhealthy’ for perpetuating such a sick and deprecating opinion. But my problem with body shaming doesn’t end with one complaint.

Image Credits: Pinterest.com
Image Credits: Pinterest.com

Body shaming  is defined as inappropriate negative statements and attitudes towards another person’s weight or size.

Firstly, I hate the idea of sizing up a person (quite literally) for what they look like. Secondly, I fail to understand who gets the authority to decide what looks good, healthy or desirable and what looks bad, unhealthy and ugly. And finally, the ruthlessness with which the media champions body shaming and the shamers (sometimes subtly, but mostly with a laudatory stance) is not just infuriating personally, but also quite chilling, given the media’s mass appeal and influence.

Image credits: Pinterest.com
Image credits: Pinterest.com

Body shaming reflects society’s hypocritical method of appraising human beings. While at one end, it encourages and rewards distinctiveness of merit, intelligence, skill and ability, at the other end, it censoriously mocks the uniqueness of size and shape. Body shaming is akin to a heinous crime, with dire consequences on one’s mental health and self-image. Body shaming must end.

Watch this space for more in part 2 of our three part installment article on Body Shaming.

Featured Image Credits: www.relatably.com

Kriti Sharma
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