Tejasswi Prakash, who has been winning hearts with her lively and audacious performance in “Laughter Chef Season 3,” has been a singer, a model, a host, and now an actress with a career that has been marked by versatility, poise, and star quality. However, there has been a lot brewing behind her radiant screen presence that has been defined by her personal struggles, doubts, and a turning point that has left her re-evaluate her life.
In a very moving conversation with Humans of Bombay, Tejasswi spoke of how she used to be bullied for her looks in college, her “chubby face” being a major factor for a naturally thin person like her. “People used to make fun of my body, like I’m too thin, or make fun of my face, like I have a football face.”
“People think it’s fine to make remarks about your weight, but it’s not true. I always had a slim body and a chubby face. Even now, I cannot change it. However, I do not react negatively to their words. Instead, I think of ways on how I can develop myself, like taking in more protein and doing face yoga.”
There was, however, one episode that turned out to be a turning point for her. At 17, she witnessed that the stage at a college fest was dirty, and she decided to clean it. A picture was taken, and it was shared on social media with a taunting caption: “Tejasswi doing what she is best at.”
The young Tejasswi ran back home, wiping her tears all night, being extremely embarrassed and hurt.
“I felt a need to prove to the world that night,” she remembered.
Driven by her passion, she joined a college-level beauty contest, even though she had no modeling experience whatsoever. To everyone’s surprise, she won. This victory brought her modeling offers from magazines and caught the attention of casting directors. Not long after, she auditioned for her debut television role, which marked the beginning of her successful career as a popular face of Indian television.
Tejasswi’s increasing popularity did not end there. Upon her return to college, those who used to ridicule her were all lined up to take a selfie with her. Her list of performances in TV serials encompasses Swaragini, Pehredaar Piya Ki, Karn Sangini, and Silsila Badalte Rishton Ka 2. She earned popularity in every household as she won Bigg Boss 15. Later, she appeared in popular reality show Naagin 6 for two successful years.
She also performed in other shows like Khatron Ke Khiladi 10 and Celebrity MasterChef India. Presently, Tejasswi remains a crowd favorite as a contestant in “Laughter Chef Season 3,” where she keeps reiterating that she has been able to convert even the toughest situations into stepping stones.