Anandita Sundar, daughter of actor-politician Khushbu Sundar and filmmaker-actor Sundar C, has opened up about growing up under public scrutiny and dealing with years of commentary around her appearance.
Appearing on the JFW podcast, Anandita reflected on how conversations around her body changed over time—from being criticised for being overweight to facing speculation that her recent transformation was the result of medication or cosmetic procedures.
She shared that both she and her sister Avantika had struggled with weight growing up and eventually decided to prioritise fitness after health concerns began affecting them. Anandita said her weight-loss journey did not happen overnight and has been in progress for nearly seven years.
Recalling the assumptions people made after noticing changes in her appearance, Anandita said many overlooked the fact that a large part of the transformation happened gradually and during the pandemic years, when she was largely away from public attention.
Addressing rumours linking her to weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic and Mounjaro, she dismissed the speculation and said she has learnt not to take online narratives seriously. She added that the criticism never really stopped, but she never made changes to satisfy public opinion.
Speaking about the impact of public commentary, Anandita pointed out that much of the trolling began when she was still a teenager. “I was 15 years old. My parents were celebrities, not me. Why do people feel entitled to tell a child how ugly she is?” she said.
Anandita also spoke about stepping into the film industry despite describing herself as someone who grew up in a protected environment. She worked with Mani Ratnam during the post-production phase of Ponniyin Selvan 2 and was later attached as an assistant director on Thug Life before an ankle fracture forced her to step away. She said the experience also pushed her to focus more seriously on her health.
Recently, Anandita made her debut as a creative producer with Double Occupancy, directed by Aswin Kandasamy and backed by Khushbu and ACS Arun Kumar. She is also associated with Hiphop Tamizha Adhi’s upcoming film Meesaya Murukku 2.
