Nushrratt Bharuccha, who rose to fame with her 2011 film Pyaar Ka Punchnama starring Kartik Aaryan, recently opened up about finding the confidence to wear a bikini in it — which costed her a solo trip abroad to break her inhibitions.
“My biggest problem was…I even discussed with the director (Luv Ranjan)… that I won’t be comfortable with it. Even if I wear it, I won’t be able to be myself. So, how can I be confident in the shot? Internally, I had to become okay with this. I have not owned it yet and need to be able to and own it to do it. So, I took a solo trip abroad. Because in India, you can’t wear a bikini and roam around. Let’s be realistic. You can’t even go to Juhu beach in a bikini,” Bharuccha told Hauterrfly.
She recalled wearing a bikini for three days straight, and by the second day, she was so comfortable that she almost forgot she was wearing one. “So, I went abroad and I was wearing a bikini for three days straight. Subah, shaam, raat. (Morning, evening, night). And I did it consciously because I wanted to break my inhibitions, my taboo, whatever it is … of it by saying I am roaming in a bikini. I am telling you…it is so liberating…I cannot tell you. By the second day, I forgot I was in a bikini. It had just become normal. I literally purposely wore from morning to night. Just to get over the fixation that I have about it,” Bharuccha, 39, added.
What does it take to break your inhibitions, and how do safe spaces help?
Very often, we see that the choice of is unfairly attributed to one’s values and morals, especially for women, and particularly in many conservative cultures. This association inhibits true expression and body acceptance, noted Subhash HJ, counsellor and mental health educator, Vasavi Hospitals, .
“While many young people attempt to break through this conditioning, the absence of a safe space often becomes a major barrier to gaining first-hand experience of in their own body and clothing choices,” said Subhash.
But this courage to try and the importance of a safe space extends beyond clothing. “It applies to any experiment or self-expression one wants to attempt. In , especially after decades of inhibition, acknowledging what one wants to experience and identifying a safe space becomes crucial to learning or unlearning anything. In this context, her move was extremely mindful; she identified her discomfort, created her safe space, and prepared herself before presenting on a big screen,” explained Subhash.
According to the expert, societal judgment and internalised inhibitions often block emotional freedom, and finding a safe space beyond these limits isn’t a luxury; it’s a psychological need. “Whether it’s wearing what you want, switching careers, or expressing deep emotions, having a non-judgmental space can make all the difference in reclaiming your control over your life,” said Subhash.
