Former Miss India and actor Pooja Batra has spoken about the challenges she encountered in Bollywood because of her height, revealing how appearance politics often affected casting decisions during the early phase of her acting career.
In a recent interaction with Harper’s Bazaar India, Pooja reflected on her transition from modelling to films and admitted that being taller than many male actors became a hurdle in the industry. She revealed that several heroes felt uncomfortable sharing screen space with her and said she lost multiple film opportunities because of her height.
Recalling those experiences, Pooja shared that filmmakers would often ask her to adjust her posture during scenes so that male actors looked taller on camera. She even remembered performing splits mid-shot to reduce the visible height difference. According to the actor, such adjustments became common during shoots because many leading men were insecure about their stature.
Pooja, however, credited Salman Khan for being confident and comfortable working alongside her. She revealed that the actor never objected to her wearing heels and encouraged her to be herself on screen.
The actor also said that the struggles faced by actresses of her generation slowly helped Bollywood become more accepting of taller women. Mentioning actors like Deepika Padukone and Kriti Sanon, Pooja said the industry today offers greater comfort and visibility to tall female stars compared to earlier years.
Pooja Batra began her film career with Virasat in 1997 after establishing herself as a successful model and beauty pageant winner.
