Taapsee Pannu on evolving beauty norms and falling in love with yourself

“There’s no need to try and be ‘perfect’—you’ll only end up getting lost in the crowd."

While growing up, I never saw any curly-haired actresses on-screen, neither were there any beauty shoots or visuals of women with curly hair. My curls were anything but straight or silky, so while I was still in school, I snuck into the salon without letting my parents know to get my hair straightened—with harmful chemicals that were used during the initial stages of permanent straightening. Uff, I ruined my hair, and that was so frustrating! And the new hair that grew at the roots was curly, while the rest was not just limp, but also began falling! I was very young then, and realised I couldn’t have hair fall at that age! I spent many years trying to change myself, whatever little I could. And I kept failing miserably at this, so I finally gave it up. By the time I graduated from college, I realised that there was no way I would fit into the prevailing standards of beauty...so I decided to live with what I had. With age and time, and changing beauty norms, I have learned how beautiful it is when you truly love the way you are.

In 2011, I had acted in a film (called Mr. Perfect) in which my character was named Maggie because of her hair. That look became such a hit! For the first time ever, I realised what an asset my curls were...You see, I had previously been made to straighten my hair to appear ‘ultra-glam’ for a film. My hair and I had always shared a mutual hate-hate relationship, especially when I looked at myself in the mirror...it was crazy! I hadn’t bothered to learn the art of managing my curls, and had destroyed them. And because I didn’t like my hair, my hair didn’t like me back either. My self-acceptance also came from a few well-wishers who made me realise that my curls were a blessing as they helped me stand out. Soon, international influences began trickling in—Hollywood celebrities and online influencers were styling their curls—and I quickly saw that it was perfectly normal to have curly hair. What mattered was how I felt about it. Here is what I have learnt: there’s a reason you look a certain way, because it suits you. And not everyone can pull that off. Sure, the grass is always greener on the other side. People would tell me how they wanted to perm their straight hair because it was trending. But I think it’s much wiser to accept what you have, and learn how to make it work. Embrace your hair, and yourself, to truly improve yourself.

By the time I had joined the Hindi film industry (after acting in Telugu films), I began getting roles because of my curly hair. And from there on, there was an exponential increase of love for my mane. When I look in the mirror today, I see happiness in my eyes, which I really enjoy noticing. You might like certain things about yourself, and not like some others, but don’t try to be ‘perfect’—you’ll only end up getting lost in a crowd of ‘perfection’. Earlier, I thought my curly hair was the most imperfect thing about me. Today, it has become my biggest asset. What you think isn’t good right now might just become your greatest strength tomorrow, so don’t waste time hating anything about yourself.