Bhumi: I didn't look like any conventional girls

Bhumi Pednekar

bared he heart to Priyanka Chopra during a masterclass at the ongoing Mumbai Academy of the Moving Image (MAMI) film festival. The actress stated that she always wanted to be in the

film industry

, but did not have the ‘conventional looks’ for it.
Slamming the idea of looking a certain type during her growing up years, Bhumi shared, “I did not look like any conventional girls so I have never given the support or the confidence.

Even when you are growing up, all the popular girls look a certain way and it is okay. This is our society's conditioning. So I am not trying to group them to be a certain type. But society looks at a certain type of women and goes, 'Oh, she is hot, pretty because she is dainty, skinny. She has fair skin, beautiful hai'. I didn't have any of that and in my head, a lot of it comes from the family that I was born into. I would be crushed in school, underconfident, but I would go back home and they would make me feel like I was beautiful. I was confused between being under-confident and overconfident. That gave me the courage to keep going. I hustle my way.”
Adding to her thoughts, Priyanka shared, “If you are aspiring to take a step towards something that is unfamiliar, surround yourself with people who are your champions and not people who are skeptical of your success or capabilities. Be in your community that gives you a solid foundation.”
Speaking about being thrown out of film school, Bhumi reminisced, “I told my parents that I am going to do this (acting) and did a lot of jugaad. Someone suggested that I should apply at Whistling Woods school. The fee was very very high and I applied there. But then luckily that institution gave us an option to take a student loan. I had no idea but I took it, because I was the only person who could make my dreams happen. I also took some help from mom and did it. Unfortunately I was thrown out because my attendance was so low. I was too young, I feel 16 is not an age to get into a professional space because there is so much to learn.

Naseer

sir was heading my faculty but I was not mature enough to understand the opportunity that I had. So when that happened, I realised that I would be pushed into conventional forms.”