Actor Chum Darang, who became a household name after her stint on Salman Khan‘s show Bigg Boss, spoke about being body-shamed. In an interview with Times Now, the actor revealed how she was mocked for being thin and tall, and how the taunts didn’t stop even after she gained weight. (Also Read: Chum Darang played Chinese woman in Paatal Lok because she ‘needed money’; recalls being called ‘chow chow’ in Mumbai)
Chum Darang recalls being body-shamed
The actor recalled, “People used to make fun of me because I used to be lanky. They used to call me Bamboo and Giraffe, as I was tall, thin and dark. In college, I started taking medicines to gain weight. Then, people started making fun of my weight. At that time, I realised whatever you do, people will always complain. You just do what makes you happy.”
When Chum Darang spoke out against racism
Earlier, Chum also won hearts when she spoke out against racist remarks made by Bigg Boss OTT 2 winner and YouTuber Elvish Yadav. During a podcast with Rajat Dalal, Elvish mocked Chum’s name, calling it vulgar, and ridiculed her ethnicity and her appearance in Alia Bhatt’s Gangubai Kathiawadi.
Reacting to his comments, Chum wrote on Instagram: “Disrespecting someone’s identity and name is not ‘fun.’ Mocking someone’s achievements is not ‘banter.’ It’s time we drew the line between humour and hate. What’s even more disappointing is that this wasn’t just about my ethnicity. My hard work and a film backed by a visionary like Sanjay Leela Bhansali were also disrespected. To my fellow Northeasterners and everyone who has faced racism, I see you, hear you, and I stand with you. We all deserve respect, dignity and equality. Let’s raise our voices against racism and promote a culture of empathy, kindness and understanding.”
Following the controversy, Elvish was summoned by the National Commission for Women (NCW). In April, he appeared at the NCW office and issued an apology.
Chum Darang’s recent work
Chum was most recently seen in the web series Khauf. The horror series, written by Smita Singh and directed by Pankaj Kumar and Surya Balakrishnan, also stars Monika Panwar, Rajat Kapoor, Abhishek Chauhan, Geetanjali Kulkarni and Shilpa Shukla in key roles. The series is available to stream on Prime Video.
