Rida Tharana recalls comments that made her insecure about her skin

Rida Tharana, known for her role in The Traitors 2, recently discussed the insecurities she experienced growing up, despite not facing bullying at school. She explained that repeated messages about her skin colour, appearance, financial status, and future marriage prospects significantly impacted her self-image. In an interview with Filmygyaan, Rida recalled a group of seven girls she grew up with who were considered beautiful.

However, she often compared herself to them because they were fair-skinned, had long, straight hair, and hailed from affluent families.

Rida shared that her mother frequently had to patch her bags when the zips tore, as the family was not financially well-off. She also mentioned feeling embarrassed about having small holes in her shoes due to financial constraints. Additionally, Rida expressed deep insecurities about her complexion and future marriage prospects, recalling messages such as "you are dark-skinned, how will you find a boy?

You'll have to give more dowry." These thoughts made her feel like her father would have to provide more financial support to a potential husband.

Rida also spoke about how beauty standards can be internalized through exposure to advertisements and images of conventionally attractive women. Psychologist Dr. Rimpa Sarkar, from Sentier Wellness in Mumbai, explained that children do not need direct bullying to develop appearance-related insecurities. Repeated exposure to messages about skin colour, body type, hair, and physical appearance can make children associate their appearance with their worth and attractiveness.

Dr. Sarkar emphasized that these messages can become deeply ingrained and influence a child's self-esteem, body image, and social confidence. She noted that such beliefs can be particularly harmful when they come from family members or communities through casual comments.