Singer Neha Bhasin, known for her songs like Kuch Khaas Hai, Jag Ghoomeya, and Dunki, recently shared a deeply personal and heartbreaking experience from her early years in the music industry. In a podcast with Bharti Singh and Haarsh Limbachiyaa, the former Viva band member revealed that she attempted suicide at the age of 20 after being body-shamed by a television executive.
Back in 2003, just a year after her debut with India’s first all-girl pop group Viva, Neha was placed on fat burners by people around her, without proper guidance or awareness of the risks involved. “I was very young and didn’t understand the effects of fat burners,” she said.
The turning point came during a meeting with a television channel that was handling Viva’s releases. Neha recalled a particularly traumatic incident where a man from the channel humiliated her in front of a room full of people.
“He paused a music video, circled my stomach on screen, and said, ‘See, you are so fat. Because of this, we can’t release the video.’ I was only 50 kg at the time,” Neha said.
Shocked and angry about what happened, she went home and consumed more than half a bottle of fat burners in what she described as a suicide attempt.
“I was throwing up for two days. The band didn’t even know what had happened,” she added.
How can body shaming take a toll on mental health?
Experts warn that body shaming is not just about appearances; it can have serious consequences on mental health.
“Fat-shaming isn’t just unkind; it’s a profound attack on someone’s emotional well-being,” said Dr. Shaunak Ajinkya, Consultant Psychiatrist at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Mumbai.
He added, “It fosters deep feelings of inadequacy, and can often lead to anxiety, depression, and even suicidal thoughts, as in Neha’s case. Society’s narrow beauty standards create silent battles that many carry alone.”
Dr. Ajinkya explains the need to build self-worth that isn’t tied to body image. “We need to practise radical self-compassion. Surround yourself with people who celebrate you for who you are, not how you look. And if you know someone struggling, offer a listening ear and genuine support. Your acceptance can be a powerful healing force.”
