Ritabhari Chakraborty Opens Up About Losing Film Roles After Gaining Weight
KARACHI: Bengali actress Ritabhari Chakraborty has spoken candidly about the pressures of the entertainment industry, revealing that she lost several acting opportunities after gaining weight for a film role.
In an interview with NDTV, Ritabhari discussed her changing appearance, the expectations placed on actresses and the difficult experiences she faced during different stages of her career.
The actress said her weight increased partly because of surgeries and medication. She later gained an additional 15 kilograms for a particular role. However, the physical transformation attracted harsh criticism on social media and affected the opportunities coming her way.
According to Ritabhari, she was offered fewer roles after gaining weight. She also criticized the industry’s obsession with slim female actors, saying that male preferences often end up influencing decisions about how actresses are expected to look.
The actress revealed that she had previously gone to extreme lengths to maintain a slim figure. At one stage, she avoided carbohydrates for as long as 10 days and even stopped drinking water before shoots because she wanted to look slimmer in photographs.
Ritabhari also recalled working for up to 16 hours a day while still making time for treadmill workouts. However, repeated surgeries and months of recovery eventually made her previous routine impossible.
A turning point came in 2024 after she purchased her dream home. While climbing the stairs one day, she noticed that she was becoming unusually breathless. The experience prompted her to reconsider her lifestyle and focus more on staying active rather than simply chasing a particular body shape.
She now tries to remain physically active at home, takes walks on her rooftop, listens to music and keeps herself moving throughout the day.
Ritabhari also sought professional nutritional guidance while working on her weight-loss journey. She said actress Subhashree Ganguly helped her connect with a nutritionist.
Ritabhari Chakraborty rose to prominence through the Bengali television series Ogo Bodhu Sundori before establishing herself in Bengali cinema. She has appeared in films including Fatafati, Bohurupi and Brahma Janen Gopon Kommoti.
She also made an appearance in Anushka Sharma’s supernatural thriller Pari in 2017.
Beyond acting, Ritabhari has explored production and writing. She acted in and produced the short film Naked, further expanding her work in the entertainment industry.
Her latest comments have once again highlighted the intense pressure faced by performers over appearance and body image, while also reflecting her changing approach toward health, work and self-acceptance.