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Social Media Star of The Week: Tillotama Shome
“I have grown to love my crooked teeth, my big central incisors, a tiny lateral incisor and very crooked teeth in my lower gum,” wrote actor Tillotama Shome in a recent Instagram post, inspired after a trip to the dentist for tooth whitening
“I have grown to love my crooked teeth, my big central incisors, a tiny lateral incisor and very crooked teeth in my lower gum,” wrote actor Tillotama Shome in a recent Instagram post, inspired after a trip to the dentist for tooth whitening.
Less is more
“I had not had any cosmetic procedures and was wary of it. I researched a lot even before colouring my hair. That is just who I am. I grew up in a household where salon visits were few, no one coloured their hair. The film world has not changed these easy breezy beauty standards much,” explains the Monsoon Wedding actor.
Not that the crookedness of her teeth was ever a concern. A dentist who suggested taking all her teeth out ended that conversation.
“I look back and realise that my family was pretty progressive and I was accepted as I was. I thought that was the norm. We were allowed to author our own idea of what is beautiful. Because my father was in the Air Force, we moved every four years and grew up in a very secular India. And the idea of beauty was as diverse as the different kinds of rice that exist in our country,” she says.
Acceptance is key
Tillotama admits she became a bit self-conscious when she started acting in films. “Playing Alice in Monsoon Wedding was not just a spectacular opportunity but it set the tone for things to come. The film did really well and I was accepted, crooked teeth and all,” she recalls. But when she failed to get work for long periods of time or faced rejection, she sometimes wondered about her physical appearance. “But deep down, I knew I was fooling myself. This is a competitive industry and its players need patience and a strong sense of self-worth so we don’t lose our sense of fun.”
In the age of social media, it’s even more important to not pursue some notion of perfection.
“Perfection as an idea is so stale,” Tillotama says. “But I am not being prescriptive. Each to their own, please.”
Who should be the next HT Brunch Social Media Star Of The Week? Nominate using the hashtag #BrunchSocialMediaStarOTW or email htbrunch@hindustantimes.com
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From HT Brunch, January 14, 2023
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