Yet Again! Bollywood Actress Uses Telugu Cinema for Publicity!

In recent years, it has become a common trend for Bollywood actresses to drag Telugu cinema into controversy to boost their publicity. The latest to make headlines is Dangal actress Fatima Sana Shaikh, who recently shared her unsettling experience with producers in the industry. She claimed that producers often implied certain things indirectly, saying, “The producers would talk about it very openly, 'You know, here you have to meet people.' They wouldn't say things outright but would imply them in strange ways." This isn't the first time a Bollywood actress has spoken out about such matters, with actress Hina Khan also commenting that South Indian filmmakers prefer actresses who are heavier, further fueling these ongoing discussions.

One of the actresses to recently stir the pot is Shweta Basu Prasad, who began her career in Telugu cinema with the 2008 film Kotha Bangaru Lokam. Over the years, she appeared in multiple Telugu films like Ride, Kasko, Kalavar King, Priyudu, and Genius, before her most recent Telugu project Vijetha in 2018. However, as her Bollywood career progressed, Shweta shared her unsettling experiences from her time working in Telugu films. Recently, while promoting her upcoming web series Oops Ab Kya, she revealed a story of being bullied on a Telugu film set because of her height.

In an interview, Shweta opened up about a particularly harsh experience on a Telugu film set where the crew frequently made derogatory comments about her height. "There was this one Telugu film I was doing, and that entire crew every day would remind me of my height," she said. The issue arose because her co-actor was much taller than her, standing at nearly 6 feet tall, while Shweta is 5'2". She added, “He would mess up every scene, give retakes, him being Telugu can’t speak the language. Even I couldn’t but I was managing."

Shweta further expressed frustration over the situation, saying, “It’s the only set where I was really bullied, very bad.” She emphasized that height is something she has no control over, calling it a genetic trait. Her remarks have once again sparked anger among Telugu cinema fans, who are now questioning why Bollywood actresses continue to use Telugu cinema as a platform for publicity at the expense of the industry’s reputation. Fans are disappointed by what they see as unnecessary negativity being aimed at a thriving industry that continues to grow both nationally and internationally.