Exclusive! Sameera Reddy: I had to pad my chest, was told to get a breast surgery

Sameera Reddy. Pic-Sameera`s Instagram handle

From 'Sexy Sam' to 'Messy Mama', Sameera Reddy has definitely come a long way. Today, a mother of two, Sameera uses social media to champion body positivity and openly addresses topics that people on social media usually shy away from. From flaunting her flabs to showing her grey hair, Sameera's social media handle is a welcome space from the otherwise pretentious virtual world.

Talking to mid-day.com about how her self-acceptance journey, she said, "I think it began when I didn't have anybody who was guiding me though one of my major breakdowns, which happened postpartum. I remember slipping into a very bad, dark space about my body, my career, about being perceived as successful or how fast I could bounce back after motherhood and I cracked. I actually hid inside the house and I didn't talk to anybody. I cut off from people and I didn't have the right mindset and I wasn't getting the right messages from social media and society at that time."

She added, "So when I kind of pulled myself out which almost took me two-three years, I think my first aim was I need to at least let one person who is struggling out there to know that they are not alone. That they can get past it and that it is normal, and that's where the journey began. It began with wanting to be there for somebody who didn't have anybody."

Sameera Reddy made her film debut with the 2002 film 'Maine Dil Tujhko Diya' opposite Sohail Khan. Soon she was tagged as 'Sexy Sam' owing to her glamorous roles onscreen. But looking a certain way did not come easy. The actress revealed she would starve herself and have one idli a day and ensured she did not gain weight. She was also suggested to have corrective surgeries on her body and face. "I think there was a crazy phase about 10 years ago where everybody was getting plastic surgery, boob job, change nose or bone structure. I had to always pad my chest and was told to get a boob job done. Many times, I would think, 'Should I? Is this the norm?' because it was so openly spoken about and as an actor I questioned if I had to do it. But I didn't and I am so grateful to God I didn't because today I wouldn't have been comfortable about it," she said.

While the actress feels the perception has changed, it is an individual choice today. "There are many people who choose corrective surgery and it is their choice. If it makes them happy, I say live and let live, who are we to judge," she added.

Also Read: Sameera and her mom-in-law, Manjri Varde on their sassy relationship

Sameera is now the face of the brand Westside's Limitless campaign that advocates body positivity and inclusivity. Talking about the campaign which also includes Sameera turning podcast host and discussing various topics, she said, "There is years of conditioning that we need to break. And this can only come about with conversation around it and limitless is all about going past all the barriers that maybe society and we create for ourselves. So I definitely feel it is very effective and I am so thrilled that we are doing this and the feedback has been fantastic.

In the upcoming podcast, Sameera will be discussing sex and pleasure, a topic considered a taboo in many parts of the country. "It is not only considered taboo but I think somewhere there is a certain guilt. I think in this country we feel it is wrong to be open or to communicate or to say that this is something that this an important topic because women in general feel that we have to adhere to maybe putting ourselves in the backseat and I think that needs to change. I think if we normalise the conversation, at homes if our kids can come and ask us, it will be a healthy situation for them as they go into the world. They would know to trust their instincts and know boundaries and understand this topic better, because it does all start at home," she shared.

"As you go through different phases of life, as a teenager, as a older woman and man, I think it is important to have exposure to good information. So definitely , this podcast is targeting that and all age groups. Because even if you are 60 and you want to understand yourself and you want to understand your body better I think it is time you should," she added.

Also Read: Selena Gomez addresses body-shaming comments received following Golden Globes appearance