Ruhaanika Dhawan opens up about body image struggles

Ruhaanika Dhawan, who rose to fame as a child actor through Yeh Hai Mohabbatein, has opened up about her experience of dealing with body-related comments at a young age.

The actress, who is now 19, revealed that her relationship with her body changed during the COVID-19 lockdown when she gained weight. At the time, she was only 11 years old and found it difficult to deal with comments about her appearance.

Before the pandemic, Ruhaanika had an active lifestyle and was professionally involved in swimming. She regularly participated in competitions and spent much of her time training and staying physically active. However, the lockdown brought a sudden change to her daily routine.

Like many children during that period, she had to stay at home, attend online classes and spend most of her time indoors. With schools, sports activities and competitions put on hold, her usual physical routine came to an end.

Ruhaanika recalled that her days during lockdown mainly revolved around eating and studying. The lack of physical activity eventually led to weight gain, which became a difficult experience for the young actress.

She admitted that comments about her body affected her because they came at a time when she was still very young and learning to understand herself.

The actress explained that body-related remarks can still make her feel uncomfortable, even years later. However, she has also learned to look at her fitness journey in a healthier way and understand that her body does not define her worth.

With support and encouragement from her mother, Ruhaanika eventually decided to become active again. She initially began following workout videos on YouTube and incorporated high-intensity interval training into her routine.

What started as a way to become more physically active gradually became an important part of her lifestyle. She later discovered martial arts and developed a strong interest in the sport.

Martial arts eventually became a regular part of her routine, helping her regain her fitness and confidence. Over time, she managed to lose the weight she had gained during lockdown while focusing on exercise and healthier eating habits.

Ruhaanika said that she has now been working out consistently for around six years. She also follows a cleaner diet and has made fitness an important part of her everyday life.

However, despite becoming fitter and more confident, the actress acknowledged that the comments she received about her body at a young age left an emotional impact.

She explained that she still feels hurt by certain comments about her appearance, but she is gradually learning how to deal with those feelings.

For Ruhaanika, the journey has become more than simply losing weight or maintaining fitness. It has also been about developing a healthier relationship with herself and learning to appreciate her body.

The actress now wants to focus more on self-love rather than allowing other people’s opinions to control how she feels about herself.

Her experience highlights how strongly comments about appearance can affect children and teenagers, especially when they are still developing their confidence and sense of identity.

Ruhaanika’s story also shows how her fitness journey has evolved over the years. What began with weight gain during an unexpected lockdown eventually led her toward swimming, workouts and martial arts.

Today, she continues to stay active while working on becoming more comfortable with her body and giving herself the love and acceptance she believes she deserves.