'Dabba Cartel' Star Anjali Anand Slams ‘Plus-Sized’ Label: Questions Why Male Actors Were Never Called That

The Netflix crime-thriller Dabba Cartel, starring Shabana Azmi, premiered on February 28, instantly generating buzz with its intriguing storyline. Actress Anjali Anand, who plays a pivotal role in the series, recently addressed the industry’s biases regarding body image. She questioned why female actors are often labeled as ‘plus-sized,’ while their male counterparts, like Govinda and Rishi Kapoor, were never categorized the same way.

In an interview with Fever FM, Anjali opened up about her struggles in landing lead roles in mainstream films despite her success in the digital space. She stated, "Nobody ever questioned like when a Govinda and Hrithik Roshan, who looked very different but I love both of them, I maybe love Govinda much more. But nobody would ask him or call him a plus-size actor. Nobody would Rishi Kapoor a plus size actor, he is an actor. But for a woman, I'm always called Anjali Anand—a plus-sized actor."

Expressing her frustration, Anjali emphasized that the discussion around body types should be normalized rather than constantly highlighted. She revealed that she deliberately avoids advocating for plus-size representation online, despite knowing it could be financially beneficial. For her, an actor should be seen for their craft, not their body type.

She also pointed out the double standards in Bollywood, citing films like Chandni, where actors with different body types were accepted without scrutiny because they were men. However, when a female actor takes on a role like Vidya Balan in The Dirty Picture, discussions revolve around her body rather than her performance.

Meanwhile, Dabba Cartel, directed by Hitesh Bhatia, features an ensemble cast including Shabana Azmi, Jyotika, Shalini Pandey, Gajraj Rao, and Sai Tamhankar. Written by Vishnu Menon and Bhavna Kher, the Netflix series is produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani under Excel Entertainment and created by Shibani Akhtar, Vishnu Menon, Gaurav Kapur, and Akanksha Seda.