Bollywood Goes Under The Knife
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By Deepika Hariani
"What God doesn't give, doctor gives." These famous words belong to Rakhi Sawant, an actress and Bollywood's favourite pin-up girl. The candid admission was made on national television after the host of a talk show asked her to confirm reports of getting breast implants. In yet another instance, the nation woke up to the lurid headlines of Koena Mitra's admission to have undergone rhinoplasty. Plastic surgery in Bollywood is no longer surprising, but the candor of these actresses is still unusual.
Cosmetic surgery really came to Bollywood only in the 80s, when it was first reported that Rekha, popular actress and fashion diva, had redefined the contours of her face. And for over a decade after, reports of enhancements were few and far between, and very rarely confirmed. When former Miss Universe (1994), Susmita Sen won the crown and was on the brink of starting her career in Bollywood, she reportedly underwent a boob job. Shlipa Shetty, who recently became a popular face globally after winning the British reality show, Big Brother was one of the first few actresses in the industry to get her nose fixed
Today, cosmetic surgery has become increasingly rampant. And with the growing media glare on celebrities, it has also become difficult to keep under wraps. Bipasha Basu a model-turned actress had reportedly gotten silicone implants to enhance her cleavage. But it was only after the cosmetologist demanded that he had not been paid his dues that the skeleton tumbled out of Bipasha's closet. Kangna Ranuat was barely 17 when she made her acting debut, and reportedly underwent a cosmetic surgery to enhance her breasts and to make her lips appear fuller. Other 20 something celebrities like Minissha Lamba and Shruti Hassan have reportedly gotten undergone rhinoplasty as well.
And, it looks like our Bollywood heroines have rubbed the ongoing trend to the actors too. Aamir Khan, one of the leading stars of Bollywood and the hero of one of the highest grossing films last year reportedly treated himself to botox to make himself look younger. Another 40 plus actor, Saif Ali Khan too recently got rid of his crow's feet by getting filler treatments done in London and botox to keep those fine lines at bay.
It's not just celebrities that are jumping on the plastics bandwagon. The cosmetic surgery industry in India is growing at 34% annually, and is estimated to be worth a whopping Rs. 460 crore (US$110 million).
But with these surgeries come bungled jobs and health repercussions which people don't seem to be fully aware off. Unless the side-effects of such procedures become clearer, or a more real, organic sense of beauty becomes fashionable, Bollywood will continue to go under the knife, in larger numbers than ever before.
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First Posted: 09/21/09 06:12 AM ET Updated: 05/25/11 02:55 PM ET