Mumbai: ‘Bigg Boss 18’ winner Karan Veer Mehra’s lady love Chum Darang was body-shamed for being thin and tall during her college days.
The actress further shared in a recent interview that people continued to make fun of her even after she gained weight, making her realise that some critics will always complain no matter what you do.
Chum, who gained popularity after participating in the Salman Khan-hosted reality show, told Times Now: “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.”
In February, Chum had called out YouTuber Elvish Yadav for making racists remarks against her on his podcast. Elvish made fun of Chum’s name and called it vulgar. He even ridiculed her ethnicity and her appearance in the film ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi.’
“Karanveer ko pakka COVID tha kyunki Chum kisko pasand aati hai bhai, itna taste kiska kharab hota hai! Aur Chum ke toh naam mein hi ashleelta hai… Naam Chum aur kaam Gangubai Kathiawadi mein kiya hai (Karanveer must have definitely had COVID because who would like Chum, bro? Who has such bad taste! And even Chum’s name itself is vulgar… Her name is Chum, and she worked in Gangubai Kathiawadi),” Elvish said.
Reacting to Elvish’s remarks, Chum wrote on her Instagram handle, “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.”
Eventually, Elvish was summoned by the National Commission for Women (NCW). He appeared before the NCW in April and issued an apology.
Read more: Elvish Yadav In Trouble Over His Racial Comments On ‘Bigg Boss 18’ Contestant Chum Darang
Chum was recently seen in the horror series ‘Khauf’, written by Smita Singh and directed by Pankaj Kumar and Surya Balakrishnan.
The web series also features Monika Panwar, Rajat Kapoor, Abhishek Chauhan, Geetanjali Kulkarni and Shilpa Shukla in key roles.
