HELLO!: How elated are you about being named the ‘Most Beautiful Face of the Year’ at the first HHOF - South?
Aditi Rao Hydari: “It means the world to me. I’m thrilled that the HELLO! Hall of Fame Awards celebrated talent from across India. Hyderabad is my home, and I was thrilled to be there. There was something special about receiving love and appreciation from one’s own. I’m always thrilled to receive compliments, but it also surprises me that people notice so much because I’m genuinely not conscious of the way I look. I look like my mother. She’s a beautiful human being, and I hope I can be like her.”
H!: You’re beautiful, no doubt. But at any point, do you feel the pressure of always looking on point?
ARH: “For a short while, when I first started acting, I felt the pressure of adhering to beauty stereotypes. But I didn’t enjoy that feeling of conforming to these notions. They were alien to me, and I didn’t quite understand when people wanted me to fit into their ideas of beauty.”
H!: What would you advise young girls who are most at risk of getting swayed by beauty stereotypes?
ARH: “They want to slot you as the sweet girl, the glamazon, the bubbly girl… I didn’t want to be put into a box that someone else made for me. Unique is beautiful, and you are at your best when you are comfortable being your own unique self. Beauty is really about being the best, happiest version of yourself.”
H!: Today, achievers from South India are drawing the spotlight more and more. Your thoughts, please.
ARH: “We should have never made these distinctions in the first place. We are a country of immense talent. Language, religion, caste, region, gender… None of these should be a barrier. It should only be about talent and celebrating talent.”
This story has been adapted for the website from a story that was originally published in Hello! India’s February 2023 issue. Get your hands on the latest issue right here!
