Over the years, Ram Kapoor built a reputation as a dependable actor, delivering memorable performances in shows like Kasamh Se and Bade Achhe Lagte Hain. Yet, beyond the camera lights, Ram has also battled personal challenges, particularly around his weight. Recently, the actor made headlines after shedding nearly 55 kilograms in just 18 months.
In a candid chat with Humans of Bombay, Ram opened up about how being overweight influenced his career. He reflected on how times have changed in the entertainment industry. In his view, it’s far tougher now for actors with larger body types to thrive in lead roles. “Now, if a guy my size wants to make it big, it will be difficult,” he admitted.
Interestingly, Ram didn’t limit the conversation to himself. He brought up Smriti Irani, his former co-star and now a prominent political leader as an example of someone who defied such norms. Ram acknowledged that during their prime TV years, both he and Smriti were on the heavier side. Yet, Smriti’s career soared, and she became one of Indian television’s biggest icons. “She was my size as a woman and probably more successful than I,” Ram pointed out, adding that her early departure from acting was the only reason she didn’t surpass him.
Recalling their time on Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Ram spoke about how Smriti’s appearance transformed over the years. From playing a young wife to eventually portraying a grandmother, her physicality changed in tandem with her character’s journey. “When she started Kyunki Saas and when she ended, she was huge,” Ram shared, explaining how Smriti remained true to the role rather than bowing to societal expectations. According to Ram, Smriti herself once reasoned, “Now I have played a character who has taken so many leaps. Now I am playing a grandmother.”
Ram admired how Smriti navigated those years without letting the pressure of appearance dictate her choices. He noted that from the first year of the show to its finale in 2008, Smriti had gained considerable weight but retained her star status. “You see her from the first year of Kyunki to last year, you will notice that she is as big as I am. We were equally successful,” he said.
Their conversations about this were honest and light-hearted. Ram shared that he once discussed it with her, and Smriti remained unapologetic about embracing the changes that came with her character’s arc. In Ram’s eyes, if Smriti had continued in television instead of turning to politics, she might have far outpaced him. “If she had continued in television, she would have probably been much bigger than I. She left because she joined politics, and she is doing great,” Ram added.
Ram’s reflections are not just about weight or appearances, but about resilience and authenticity in an industry often obsessed with image.
