- Sameera Reddy embraces her grey hair and post-partum body publicly at age 46
- She rejects her former "Sexy Sameera" image and prefers being seen as real
- Sameera says industry roles now focus more on talent than specific body types
Sameera Reddy's Instagram bio reads, "Messy Mama, Mom in progress."
She sports her grey hair publicly, doesn't hide her post-partum weight gain, and proudly shares pictures of a certain "dark, plump, insecure girl" from childhood.
At 46, she takes up the challenge to lead a life shaped by weight training, yoga, and faith.
She took up all these not to prove anything to the world, but for herself.
Sameera Reddy has rebranded herself as a 'real' woman, and she doesn't miss her 'sexy' era at all.
In an exclusive conversation with NDTV, the actress made an honest confession. It's bold and loud. "I don't want to go back to that 'Sexy Sameera' era. I don't want to," Sameera tells us.
'Sexy' Tag Broke Me
Sameera Reddy is one of those rare actresses in the Hindi film industry who constantly talks about the body transformations a woman undergoes at different stages of life.
Being in the public eye—especially in a profession like the film business, where 'body' is an integral part of an actor's identity—Sameera breaks stereotypes.
But in all these years of reinventing herself, has she missed the 'sexy' tag?
"I don't miss anything. With all these tags come a very stressful and very high standard. Honestly, I felt like it broke me because I couldn't keep up with it. That being said, if it's the industry's demand or a certain role requires it, I can't say I wouldn't adhere to it. I think things have changed in the industry. Women are not typecast the way they used to be 10-15 years ago. Certain body types used to work earlier, but right now it's more about characters, portraying people's talents," Sameera Reddy tells us.
"But that being said, I don't miss that mantle. I don't even want it back. I don't want to go back to that 'Sexy Sameera' era. When people look at me now and say she's real, I feel most proud about it," Sameera admits.
Speaking of her new film, Sameera says, "In Aakhri Sawal, I play a professor. I fit the bill because it feels so real."
'Mother-in-Law Loves Reels, Husband Biggest Critic'
If you follow Sameera Reddy's Instagram game, you won't miss her funny reels with mother-in-law Manjri Varde.
Sassy Saasu and Messy Mama's fun-loving, light-hearted, mood-lifting reels will surely make you say Kyunki saas bhi kabhi bahu thi. No tears, no drama—only pure fun assured.
"Initially, I had to convince her. But when she saw people loved her and accepted her, she felt so comfortable—she's up for the Instagram game all the time," Sameera says about her mother-in-law.
If she's a messy mama, then what would her series be called as daughter-in-law and wife?
"Honest, fun-loving, and all-inclusive," Sameera summed up with these three adjectives.
Who's the biggest critic in the family?
Sameera says, "It's my husband."
We understand. No complaints.
Sameera Reddy has been married to Akshai Varde since 2014. She welcomed her first child, Hans, in 2015. Their daughter, Nyra, was born in 2019.
Also Read | Sameera Reddy Exclusive: 'Women In India Don't Have The Luxury Of 8-Hour Work Shifts'
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