Ali Zafar Defends Katrina Kaif Against Post-Pregnancy Body-Shaming
KARACHI, PAKISTAN — WEB DESK: Pakistani singer and actor Ali Zafar has spoken out against online body-shaming directed at his former Bollywood co-star Katrina Kaif, calling on men to reconsider the standards they use to judge women’s appearance.
Kaif recently faced comments about her appearance and weight after making a rare public appearance with her husband, actor Vicky Kaushal. Social media users circulated comparisons between her current and pre-pregnancy appearance, prompting both criticism and messages of support.
Zafar addressed the discussion in a video shared on Instagram on Wednesday. Without initially identifying Kaif by name, he referred to a former Bollywood colleague with whom he had worked and questioned the tendency to compare how women looked in the past with how they appear today.
The two actors starred together in the 2011 romantic comedy Mere Brother Ki Dulhan.
Zafar said men in particular should examine their own attitudes and recognise when their expectations of women’s bodies and appearance are unfair. He argued that women should not be expected to conform to standards created by others.
He also acknowledged that he had criticised other people’s appearances in the past and said he no longer considers that behaviour appropriate. His broader message focused on empathy, acceptance and recognising that people may be dealing with circumstances unknown to outsiders.
Concluding his remarks, Zafar urged critics to allow Kaif to live her own life rather than scrutinising her appearance.
Kaif welcomed a son with Vicky Kaushal in November 2025 and has maintained a relatively low public profile since becoming a mother. Her recent appearance with Kaushal at the Ambani family’s Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations generated widespread attention online.
The discussion has also renewed debate over the scrutiny faced by female celebrities following pregnancy, particularly expectations surrounding weight and how quickly women should return to their pre-pregnancy appearance.
Kaif had not publicly responded to the latest wave of body-shaming at the time of the reports reviewed.
