Bharti Singh Shares Childhood Body Shaming Trauma

In a candid chat on 'Double Date' with Neha Dhupia and Angad Bedi, comedian Bharti Singh peeled back layers of her past, exposing the normalized body shaming in her Amritsar upbringing. What many dismissed as harmless teasing left deep scars, she confessed. From schoolyards to family dinners, people freely labeled others by their physical 'flaws'—overweight folks dubbed 'mota,' darker complexions tagged 'kala'—with zero regard for the psychological damage. Bharti's mother, in light-hearted moments, would warn her against overeating to avoid getting fat, embedding these norms early on. The turning point came in Mumbai's cutthroat entertainment world. Surrounded by jokes targeting body types, Bharti recognized the harm. 'I decided I wouldn't use such words to make people laugh,' she said firmly. Embracing self-deprecating humor, she crafted a style that celebrates quirks without targeting vulnerabilities. This evolution has cemented her as a beloved figure, proving comedy thrives on empathy. Bharti's reflections urge the industry and society to rethink 'funny' at others' expense, advocating for inclusivity that builds confidence rather than shattering it.