Genelia Deshmukh Recalls Being Called 'Unconventionally Pretty', 'Aamir Khan Saw His Aditi In Me'

Bollywood’s beloved ‘Aditi’, Genelia Deshmukh, made her much-awaited comeback to the silver screen with Sitaare Zameen Par, after a prolonged hiatus from acting. The actress instilled herself in the minds of fans in the early 2000s with ‘Aditi Mahant’, a free-spirited and unapologetically authentic college girl, in Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na. Despite all the love she has received all these years for her work, she was once considered not conventionally pretty.

Genelia Deshmukh recalls not being considered the typical pretty girl in Bollywood

In a candid conversation with Nayandeep Rakshit, Genelia Deshmukh opened up about her initial years in Bollywood when her features allegedly didn’t match the typical standards of beauty, as the industry viewed it in the early 2000s. The actress recalled being labelled ‘not conventionally pretty’ as she didn’t have white skin, coloured hair or light eyes that the industry was obsessed with. Genelia shared:

“When I was growing up, actually very close to Jaane Tu…Ya Jaane Na also, there were a couple of people who told me, ‘You’re not the conventional pretty, pretty girl.’ I said, ‘What does that mean?’ When I was debuting, it was all about having only white skin, or, you know, having lighter eyes, and having coloured hair for some weird reason. Everyone went through putting contact lenses."

Genelia shared how, despite having worked with megastar Amitabh Bachchan in her first advertisement directed by Mansoor Khan, the industry didn’t want to cast her in acting roles. It was Aamir Khan who saw her potential and found the perfect ‘Aditi’ for the film, Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na. Her portrayal of the feisty, lovable 'Aditi' opposite Imran Khan in the film remains one of the most beloved characters of modern Bollywood romcoms. The actress said:

“My first ad was with Mr Bachchan also. I went with my own clothes, and Mansoor Khan had directed that ad. So, they never saw ‘that’ as someone who could act. And back then also, Mr Aamir Khan saw his Aditi in me.”

Genelia Deshmukh is unfazed by conventional beauty norms

Upon being asked whether such comments affected her confidence in any way, Genelia candidly shared her take on the same. The diva shared how, being someone who is very particular about her dignity, she didn’t let the comments bring her down. In Genelia’s words:

“No, it didn’t. As a person, I am very particular about my dignity. You cannot take that away from me… very often, when it’s a power struggle, you can’t say some things. But that doesn’t mean I’ll take what you say. I will quietly walk away. If I can, I will stand up and say it… If it’s not, I don’t have a problem walking away and saying, ‘You feel what you want about me, but I’m not going to feel what you want about myself.’ See, it’s also a conscious decision to not let it affect you."

Genelia Deshmukh’s comeback with Sitaare Zameen Par

Even today, Genelia refuses to fit into the so-called perfect beauty standards and continues to win hearts with her charm, authenticity, and graceful acting. Genelia recently reunited with Aamir Khan for Sitaare Zameen Par, where she plays his on-screen wife. Her comeback has been met with love from fans who are thrilled to see her reclaim the space she rightfully deserves.

What do you think of Genelia Deshmukh’s revelation that she didn’t fit the conventional beauty standards in Bollywood?

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