Bhabhiji Ghar Par Hain’s Ammaji recalls surviving ‘very tough days’ in Mumbai on ‘ ₹3 ka lemonade’

Bhabhiji Ghar Par Hain fame actor Soma Rathod has opened up about her struggle in the industry and revealed that she used to spend days without food. She would just have two glasses of lemonade– in the morning and the evening –to save up enough for her daily commute. In a new interview, Soma also revealed that she was often targeted for her body type during her initial days in the industry. (Also read: Rohitashv Gour doesn’t want his daughter Giti to work in TV shows, here’s why)

Best known for playing Manmohan Tiwari’s (essayed by Rohitashv Gaurd) mom, Amma ji in Bhabhiji Ghar Par Hain, Soma has also worked in comedy shows such as Jijaji Chhat Par Hain, Lapataganj, and Neeli Chhatri Wale.

She told Dainik Bhaskar in an interview, “My days of struggle were really tough. I would leave my house with only ₹100. I could either pay for food or the travel. I used to take the local train from Borivali to Andheri, spend ₹3 on a lemonade, drink it and then roam around Andheri for photoshoots, auditions and meetings. I would again drink the ₹3 lemonade at Andheri station around 7-8 pm and then eat food only when I reached home at night.”  

Soma also revealed that she was often body-shamed during her days of struggle. “People would often tell me that they are looking for someone slim and I am too fat. At times, I was told I wasn’t fat enough and they were looking for someone fatter. So, I was neither slim nor fat.” Soma further told the Hindi daily that friends would also offer her advice to get rid of the fat. “Such an attitude hurts us. We do not even get clothes for our size, why don’t they make clothes our size? We are made to feel that we do not belong to this world. I am strong and decided to make fun of my own obesity, which leaves you with no power to make fun of me. Others may not be as strong.”

This is not the first time that Soma opened up on her struggles. She had told Etimes in an interview last year, “One of my friends suggested that I put on more weight, at least, I will be categorised in the oversized actors’ list. After that, I gained weight and I started getting work.”