Sameera Reddy talks about body positivity, battling alopecia and playing her age on screen when she returns to acting
Sameera Reddy talks about body positivity, battling alopecia and playing her age on screen when she returns to acting
“I can’t be ‘Meghna’ anymore (the character she played in the 2008 hit Tamil film) varanam aiyarami) I can’t wait for Suriya to board the train,” laughs Sameera Reddy, as she gets candid about her plans to get back into acting. “I would definitely venture into OTT projects if not on commercial cinema.”
The actress, known for posting body positivity content on her Instagram posts, wants to play her age on screen with roles that aren’t necessarily didactic but engage with both men and women. “Actors like Jyothika are doing a great job. She chooses roles that are strong and difficult. Although I miss dancing, I don’t want to go into song and dance sequences. I want to do roles that start conversations on topics that are considered taboo.”
However, she wants to wait for a few more months before taking the plunge. “As a practical mom, I want to see how my kids handle it. Right now, I hope my family settles down before I go ahead with films. I want to start with OTT projects because there are women out there. The roles she’s written for are incredible.
Recently, Sameera took to Instagram to write about dealing with alopecia areata, a condition that causes hair loss and recently garnered worldwide attention during a controversy at the Oscars ceremony. “It (controversy) made me want to shine a light on all the personal battles we are fighting, and the need to create a positive safe space for each other.”
Her elaborate posts on suffering from postpartum depression after her first child and her struggle with body image issues have often garnered praise on social media. The actress with over a million followers on Instagram constantly shares her own insecurities and how to deal with them. “I share my struggles. Being fair, being skinny, getting married early… it’s unbelievable that so many people want to talk about such topics.”
Sameera says she enjoys the process of making the video as she shares a piece of her life like a mini film. “It’s exciting. My vlogs are real, whether it’s dancing with my kids or walking around without makeup. I like to make people laugh.”
He is also a champion for healthy lifestyle choices. “When I read comments like, ‘I changed my life because of you’ or ‘I was ashamed of my body after pregnancy but you make me feel better’, I immediately feel overwhelmed. . It feels like an achievement.”
His fan following in Tamil Nadu is something that still amazes him. “I have shot in beautiful places like Tiruchendur and worked with wonderful people like Suriya and Ajith. My fans in Tamil Nadu still call me Meghna. I find this crazy. I want to re-invent, re-create and do something better than ‘Meghna’,” says Star, who was recently in Coimbatore to inaugurate a pediatric dentistry clinic set up by Dr Shifa Samsoodin .