Model Varshita Thatavarthi On Representation And Being Rejected For Looking “Too South Indian”
Breaking barriers in fashion while confronting bias and redefining cultural standards.
Image: ShutterStock
While you may probably not be able to recognize Varshita Thatavarthi simply by her name, you’ve most definitely seen her all over the fashion world. The Chennai-based model went viral after she was featured in a Sabyasachi campaign. Sadly, she didn’t go viral for the right reasons. Since Varshita does not fit the conventional model stereotype, many trolled her over her looks and left nasty comments on the image. Of course, Varshita did not let that stop her from appearing in plenty of Sabyasachi’s campaigns and trying to make it big in the fashion world. Despite being trolled brutally and facing terrible rejection from those in the fashion world, Varshita stood her ground and decided to pursue her dreams. Today, many leading brands have featured the stunning model, and she has established herself as a force to be reckoned with. Here is her story and how it was all made possible by one chance encounter:
On Facing Rejection
Varshita didn’t always intend on breaking stereotypes. While she dreamed of being a model, many deemed her to be unfit for the profession due to her voluptuous body and darker skin tone. She spoke about how she dropped nearly 15 kgs at the start of her career and still kept facing rejection over her size. Despite having an incredible portfolio, all agencies seemed to focus on was the fact that she wasn’t stick thin.
However, Varshita wasn’t a quitter and refused to let these silly obstacles affect her spirit. So she decided to move to the city of Nizams, Hyderabad, and try to appear in movies. Ironically, despite being in the heart of South India, directors rejected her for looking “too South Indian” (what does that even mean?). Growing up on Mani Ratnam films, Varshita was a huge fan of South Indian culture. She decided to try her luck in the coastal city of Chennai but didn’t seem to gain much footing there either.
After living a nomadic lifestyle and traveling between Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Chennai, she decided to stay in Chennai for a little longer. She happened to attend a jewelry exhibition that Sabyasachi, too, was attending at Taj Coromandel. Fascinated by her unique beauty, Sabyasachi approached her and asked her for her details.
Working With Sabyasachi
Before she knew it, one of Sabyasachi’s team members got in touch with her and asked her to participate in a shoot. And the rest, as they say, is history. Life for Varshita has never been the same ever since. While she does face trolls every now and then, she also gets tonnes of positive messages from women for breaking stereotypes and barriers. Of course, it’s not always sunshine and peaches, and Varshita has expressed that she has often faced insecurity while posing with some of India’s most elite models. She spoke about how she grew up admiring so many of these models and how surreal it feels to be standing in a queue next to them.
She also added that in Sabyasachi’s eyes, everyone is equal. She spoke about how the designer is fun and sociable and gives everyone equal attention. She even stated that there was a lot of camaraderie on the sets of the shoots and that everyone was extremely kind, helpful, and cheerful. Praising Sabyasachi’s team, she stated that he imbibed them with incredible ethics and values and that they were both professional and highly efficient.
How She Dealt With Trolling Over Her Size And Complexion
Growing up in the 90s, which as we know, was an era of pale, skinny, and eurocentric models, Varshita never saw any kind of representation. She spoke about how nobody told her that having a darker complexion was totally fine. When she talked about breaking beauty norms, she stated that she was annoyed that fairness creams are still widely sold in India. In the end, she wants Indian women to be happy in their own skin and not let others tell them their skin tone is not beautiful.
Varshita admitted that getting trolled was initially heartbreaking, and she didn’t expect for people to have such a negative reaction. She stated that even her favorite pictures from the shoot were mocked, and that shook her confidence. However, she added that she was trolled by people all her life and realized that these same trolls amount to nothing. She does what she does for the ones out there who she inspires as she believes that they are the ones listening.
Despite being tagged as such, Vandita said that she never really aspired to be categorized as a “plus-sized model”. When Sabyasachi asked her to be a part of his campaign, she said that he didn’t choose her because of her size. He picked her because he admired her confidence and found her complexion and curves very unique. However, she states that she thinks being associated with the body positivity movement is pretty great. She added that she appreciates the fact that she is celebrated for her complexion, her curves, and her “Indianness” because those are the things that make her unique.
Representation is extremely important for young girls out there. The more we see people who look like us represented in the media and online, the more we’ll learn to love and appreciate ourselves for all that we are. Varshita may be categorized as a “plus-sized” model but let’s call her what she really is, a model. Do let us know all of your thoughts on this article in the comment section below!
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