Medha Shankr recalls designers refusing to give outfits for events; says she holds ‘no grudges’

Medha Shankr, who became a household name with Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s 12th Fail, is now gearing up for her next project, a family rom-com titled Ginny Wedss Sunny 2, co-starring Avinash Tiwary. Recently, while promoting the film, the actress was asked whether she had ever felt humiliated on a film set, and she immediately said no, but added that there have been instances in the past, at events and in other situations, where she was made to feel inferior. In a conversation with Siddharth Kannan, she recalled: “At events, with designers, you know small things like ‘this designer will not give his outfit to you’, we all hear that. Of course, it doesn’t matter to me, but I do remember your names. Not that I have any grudges or something, but I remember. Not that it’s personal, because you know it’s a protocol, but you do feel, ‘What just happened here?’ So definitely, there I have felt a little absurd.” Listening to Medha’s response, Avinash Tiwary quickly added that this is not only true for the film industry but for society at large, where people in positions of power often expect things to function according to their preferences. He said he respects those who do not bow down to pressure. “We’ve created this idea that there is a system, that this is how things work, this is the mechanism, that’s where the problem begins. Earlier, it used to be that if someone couldn’t be ‘bought,’ people respected that person. That respect has now been lost. But those who stood their ground, I respect them because they survived, they carried on without ever bowing down to the system or power. I feel that no matter how much money you have, you still can’t buy me, so what is your power even for? That’s how I have understood my life.” He further added, “Whatever games you people are playing, I’m not here because of you guys. She is also not here because of you guys. Everyone is here because of their talent, so why fear and overthink so much?” Also Read | Assi vs Mardaani 3: The grammar of rage in the era of hypermasculine cinema A few years ago, Yami Gautam also recalled a similar instance. In a chat with SCREEN, she said, “In the fashion industry, there are some high-end designers who don’t give you their outfits because you are not so-and-so. It is the entire system. I remember I heard that about myself once. That person said, ‘No, that lehenga is not for you’, and I was like ‘What, why?!’, and they said, ‘No, just doesn’t work with that designer’. It was so mean. I don’t understand what the criteria is, how can you make someone feel so bad?” In the same chat, Yami also spoke about feeling pressure to attend Bollywood parties to become more visible. “I met a manager, somebody very senior. She and I were conversing and she asked me how she doesn’t see me in many parties. I didn’t understand what’s the big deal, but she insisted that I need to be seen in these places. She said, ‘Until you’re not seen, you’ve not arrived’. I told her that I thought I had arrived with a very good film, but she kept insisting that I need to network and get out, I need to up my game and be seen everywhere. She also said, ‘You might have done a great first film, but that’s over, you’re forgotten’. I told her that I will not go, because to be a part of these parties, I first have to be invited. To which she said she could get that done for me. But that’s not how I want to go—I don’t want to get myself invited. I don’t come from that thought process.” Disclaimer: This article explores the personal experiences and perspectives of actors regarding industry dynamics and social protocols. The views expressed are based on personal anecdotes and are shared for informational and entertainment purposes only. They do not constitute professional career guidance or formal commentary on industry standards. Click here to follow Screen Digital on YouTube and stay updated with the latest from the world of cinema.