Fashion designer and couturier Saisha Shinde recently recalled that actor Anushka Sharma was once subtly bullied as a young model at a modelling event. Shinde, herself a new kid on the block at the time, in 2007, recounted her first impression of the “absolutely stunning” model from Bengaluru.
“There was a girl in this show. Fresh, tall, long hair, absolutely stunning. Quiet. A model from (now ) who had just started, and I believe it was her first season at fashion week,” Shinde recalled.
Revealing that she has a photo of the actor from the fittings that day, Shinde shared, “She’s standing in her first look – a rose suede coat (her actual dress wasn’t even ready, she directly wore it on the show day), her hair half-pinned, no makeup yet, a phone in one hand. She isn’t looking at the camera. She’s looking down, a little folded into herself, the way you do when you’re new and not sure you’re allowed to take up .”
Shinde continued, “And just at the edge of the frame — another model’s hand, resting on her head. Casual. Careless. The kind of small gesture that tells you everything about who a room has decided matters and who it hasn’t. I noticed it. I didn’t like it. It stayed with me. Maybe that’s part of why I wanted to give her the closing look. The final walk. Not only because of how she moved — though she moved beautifully — but because something in me wanted the quiet girl, the one, the room was treating like the fresh girl they can bully, I wanted her to have the loudest moment of the night.”
Admitting that she was “heartbroken” by what transpired, Shinde expressed, “I was overruled. The closing look went elsewhere; she was moved earlier in the line-up second last to be precise! I was young then, and new, and I hadn’t yet learned how to win those fights. I let it go. I was quietly heartbroken about it. A year and a half later, she made her first film opposite one of the biggest stars in the world. I still think about that fitting room. A space full of people who couldn’t see her — and one designer who could, and still couldn’t give her the moment he wanted to. Some lessons in this industry were never about fabric at all.”
Taking a cue from this throwback, we asked an expert to analyse and share an insight on new professional spaces and bullying.
Reflecting on the incident, psychotherapist and life coach Delnna Rrajesh said, “Every successful person is unknown before they become known. What struck me was how easily people can decide who matters and who doesn’t. Human beings are remarkably quick to form impressions. Within minutes, we often decide who is important, who is talented, who is influential, who deserves attention, and who can be overlooked. The problem is that first impressions are often based on confidence, visibility, social status, or familiarity rather than genuine potential. One of the greatest mistakes we make is assuming that who a person is today is who they will always be. We forget that human beings are works in progress. The quiet child may become a leader. The shy teenager may become a performer. The uncertain newcomer may eventually become the person everyone admires. Potential rarely arrives with a spotlight. More often, it enters quietly, carrying self-doubt, uncertainty, and a longing to belong.”
From a psychological perspective, this is why experiences of exclusion, dismissal, or subtle bullying can leave such a lasting impact, she said.
“People often assume that emotional wounds are created only by major traumatic events. In reality, many wounds are created through repeated small moments. Being spoken over. Being laughed at. Being ignored. Being treated as less important. Being made to feel that your voice carries less weight than somebody else’s. Over time, these experiences can quietly shape the way a person sees themselves,” expressed Delnna.
According to Delnna, the most powerful part of the story is not the bullying. “It is the presence of someone who saw something different. Someone who noticed potential where others saw a newcomer. Someone who looked beyond the present and recognised what was possible. The designer’s desire to give Anushka the closing walk may seem like a small detail, but psychologically it represents something much larger. It represents the power of being seen,” said Delnna.
For anyone currently navigating a season where they feel unseen, underestimated, or overlooked, this story offers an important reminder. “Do not allow another to recognise your value to become evidence against yourself. Continue learning, continue growing, continue developing your skills, and continue showing up. Recognition may be delayed, but that does not diminish your worth. History is filled with people who were overlooked before they were celebrated,” shared Delnna.
