I wasn’t fair enough for a Punjabi: Sonam Bajwa reveals being bullied for skin colour

Actor shared that some of her relatives avoided inviting her over based on her appearance

Indian actor Sonam Bajwa has opened up about her childhood experiences of being bullied and side-lined for her skin colour – not just in films, but within her family also. From not being invited to relatives to not being offered lead roles, the 33-year-old actor shared her struggle with a dark complexion.

In an interview with Siddharth Kannan, Bajwa revealed that some of her relatives never invited her to their houses because she was not "fair enough". She said, "When I was growing up as a kid, I was bullied for my skin colour because as a Punjabi, I was not gori chitti (fair) enough. A few of my relatives never even invited me to their house ever. I have never seen their houses while growing up."

Bajwa, who is currently promoting her upcoming film Godday Godday Chaa, also talked about being side-lined by some people in the Punjabi film industry. She said that she had experienced being removed from a film without even being informed. However, the actor said that she didn't let it affect her much as she had seen worse.

Fans came forward to defend Bajwa after her comments went viral on social media. A user wrote, “Sonam is a beautiful and talented actor, and it's sad to hear that she had to face such bullying and discrimination. But it's amazing to see how she has overcome it and become so successful in her career."

In the same interview, Bajwa also recalled auditioning for the Shah Rukh Khan starrer Happy New Year for the lead role. The role was eventually played by Deepika Padukone.

“I didn’t have a car at that time. My mother was here for a few days and it was raining cats and dogs. They gave a scene for the audition. They gave me the scene ‘easy lagta hai Mohini ka dance’, and for dance, they asked me to perform on Chikni Chameli. I got an outfit ready for Chikni Chameli and the clothes I was wearing, I was supposed to do my scene in those clothes,” she shared, adding that the audition, to date, is the most special audition of her life.

Bajwa, who stars in the upcoming film alongside Tania, Gurjazz, and Gitaz Bindrakhia, also talked about working with Shehnaaz Gill in the latter's film debut Honsla Rakh. Contrary to rumours, she denied any undercurrents of competition between them, adding that working with a talented co-actor only encouraged her to perform well.

The first trailer for Godday Godday Chaa was released earlier this month, and the film is slated for a theatrical release on May 26. The film, directed by Vijay Kumar Arora and written by Jagdeep Sidhu, is a collaboration between Zee Studios and V.H Entertainment.

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