Was Anushka Shetty fat-shamed?
Actor Anushka Shetty’s sizzling chemistry with Prabhas in Baahubali 2: The Conclusion (right) has been one of the high points of the Indian film universe this year. It created such a buzz that the two were rumoured to be dating… and even planning marriage. So, when word was out that Anushka would star in Prabhas’ next big film Saaho, fans were thrilled. But on Monday came the news that she had been dropped for “being overweight”.
Isn’t that a clear case of fatshaming? No, say sources close to the unit of Saaho. They say that Anushka has not yet been signed, so there is no question of her being dropped. Anushka wasn’t available for a comment, but a source said, “Makers [of Saaho] are still in conversation with Anushka. Whether she’ll be a part of the film or not will depend on her dates. We don’t know from where this weight loss thing has come up. It’s not a point of discussion.
On Monday, a website had quoted a source as saying, “Anushka was training hard for the role in Saaho. But her weight has become a bone of contention. She is still about five to eight kilo overweight. This might cost her the film.”
Anushka had put on several kilos for her film Size Zero (2015), but looked quite fit in this year’s Baahubali 2.
Another source, close to Saaho director Sujeeth Reddy and Prabhas, tells us, “Everyone is speculating that Anushka is finalised for Saaho, because the same banner is producing a film called Bhagmati, which stars Anushka in the lead.”