Actress Mouni Roy has recently found herself in the spotlight—not for a new project or performance—but for her appearance. Speculating about alleged changes to her face, a wave of online trolls have taken to playing guessing-games about alleged cosmetic procedures she may or may not have got done, in comments’ sections. While Mouni has never confirmed getting any injectables, that hasn't stopped people from picking her apart, analysing her face like it’s public property. Unfortunately, she’s not the only one.
From Kylie Jenner to Shruti Haasan, countless women in the public eye have faced similar treatment. Whether they embrace their natural look or choose to alter it, they’re met with judgment. The public seems to believe it has a say over women’s bodies, especially if they’re famous. But what’s truly worth discussing here isn’t whether someone has gotten a cosmetic treatment or not. It’s why these conversations keep happening in the first place and why they’re almost always targeted towards women.
Here’s the problem: if you don’t fit the impossible beauty standards society sets for women, you’re mocked. If you try to meet them through makeup, style changes or cosmetic procedures—you’re labeled ‘fake’. There’s no winning. You're either not doing enough or doing too much. It's a constant tug-of-war between authenticity and acceptability, and somehow, both sides get criticised.
This obsession with perfection leaves women in a lose-lose situation. Too plain? You’re boring. Too ‘done up’? You’re insecure or artificial. You’re judged for aging, then judged again for trying to appear youthful. This level of scrutiny isn’t just unfair—it’s dehumanizing. It reduces women to their looks, ignoring their talent, achievements, and humanity.
That’s the million-dollar question. When both staying natural and enhancing your appearance lead to criticism, where does that leave you? The truth is, the issue isn’t with women’s choices. The issue is with a society that treats women’s faces like battlegrounds for public opinion.
Instead, of asking why a woman made a certain choice about her appearance, maybe we should ask why we feel so entitled to comment on it at all. Everyone deserves the freedom to make decisions about their body without facing ridicule. Maybe the real change we need isn’t in women’s faces—it’s in the lens through which we view them.
