Anant Ambani’s Weight Or Why He Got Engaged To Radhika Merchant Is Not Your Business, Trolls!

As the world gaped starry-eyed at the grand celebration that was the engagement of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant, a dedicated section of the masses strode out with unmatched gusto and began body-shaming Anant Ambani for his weight gain.

Now, in this escalating trend of judging people on their physical appearance, it’s not even surprising how we, as a society, continue to proudly brandish our apathy and ignorance. This is another flag in a series of stupid conquests by our trolls.

Trolls, this is a new low!

None of your business, trolls!

My question to these insensitive bots is this. How does it affect you? Be it for the money or not. Be it for love or not. Be it any reason whatsoever. How does it affect you?

What is this vendetta we have nurtured against love? In a country whose history is steeped in sagas of Krishna’s love, a deity who is loved and adored and worshipped despite his ‘dark’ visage, why is it so difficult for us to open ourselves up to this immeasurably powerful magic that is love? What stops us from understanding and embracing the fact that everyone has a right to love and be with whomever they want?

How should it matter what form that love takes? Or when it arrives? Or with whom? What gives us the right to blatantly blaspheme anyone like this?

Many will argue that Anant’s stature and his standing within the community make him immune to these trivialities of the middle class. I am not so sure.

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I saw many pictures of the engagement, and in most of them, I found Anant Ambani posing behind Radhika Merchant. In the released videos, I saw him gently pulling Radhika Merchant in front of him. In some, I even saw the whole Ambani clan coming to his rescue and forming a wall between him and the paparazzi.

It makes me wonder how deeply this has affected his psyche and how often this hurtful and unnecessarily violent verbal barb has been thrown at him in all his years, for him to be so conscious of it every single moment of a day that is a major milestone in his life’s journey.

On one hand, the happy couples’ beaming countenances make me smile involuntarily, rejoicing in their moment. At the same time, an infinite sadness overwhelms me as I watch Anant Ambani hide behind Radhika Merchant.

Body shaming can leave deep, deep scars!

As someone who was constantly bullied for my ‘horrible’ teeth when I was young, I feel solidarity with the groom. I am 33 years old now and I still remember those unkind remarks. It scarred me so much that I let my teeth go untreated for decades in pure defiance.

My mantra became, if someone wants to accept me, they must accept me as who I am.

Others might argue that ‘it’s unhealthy’ or that ‘it’s for his own good’. I have heard it all and honestly, too many times than I would have liked to.

Tell you what, my dearest concerned brothers, sisters, uncles and aunties, why don’t we let him decide what is for his own good? Why don’t we just step back from what is obviously none of our business?

Please stop judging people on their looks or bodies. It doesn’t matter if it is something as unchangeable as the way someone laughs or walks or the way they choose to wear their eyebrows or their bodies.

Our body is our safe space. If we cannot feel safe in our own skin, the world becomes a very tough place to live in. There are dangers abound already. Let us not add to the challenges we must overcome in order to survive.

Let us live and let live.

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