Smriti Mandhana Body-Shamed Over Viral Gown Pictures - Here's How It Can Trigger Body Dysmorphia

Indian women's cricket vice-captain Smriti Mandhana recently found herself at the centre of an unnecessary online storm, not because of her game, but because of what she wore off the pitch. After pictures from a high-profile brand event at Bengaluru Palace began circulating on social media, sections of the internet chose to dissect her appearance rather than celebrate her stature as one of India's most accomplished cricketers. While many lauded her elegance in a white floor-length gown, some also left crude comments and mocking memes, revealing how deeply ingrained body policing remains, even for renowned athletes.

Beyond the immediate backlash and counter-support, the incident opens up a deeper and more troubling conversation on how public body-shaming, especially of high-visibility figures, can fuel body dysmorphia and long-term mental health distress.

What Happens When Achievement Takes Place of Physical Looks

Smriti’s case is far from an isolated incident. Public personalities, especially women, are always more judged on their appearance rather than their work. Athletes, too, who mould their bodies for performances rather than aesthetics, are victims of unrealistic beauty standards that clash with the physical realities of sports. For Smriti, it wasn't too long before the narrative flipped from her professional identity to a physical form, a damaging double standard that posits that a woman is inseparably linked to her looks.

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Commentary like this doesn't exist in a vacuum. Social media amplifies scrutiny, allowing thousands of strangers to weigh in, often without accountability. And, for someone always in the public eye, repeated exposure to such criticism can be mentally draining, even if outward resilience is maintained.

 

 

 

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How Body-Shaming Can Trigger Body Dysmorphia

Body Dysmorphic Disorder, or BDD, is a mental health condition characterised by the obsessive concern with minor or imagined appearance. Not everyone who experiences body shaming will then develop BDD, but repeated negative comments can certainly contribute to the development of the disorder, particularly in settings that put pressure on individuals to be perfect and punish them for perceived flaws in narrow beauty ideals.

If public figures are constantly picked apart for their bodies, that conveys a message in and of itself to viewers and fans that no body is ever good enough. This constant comparison culture distorts self-perception, which makes a person excessively scrutinise themselves, feel chronic dissatisfaction, or sometimes even engage in harmful behaviours such as extreme dieting, over-exercising, or social withdrawal.

On young minds, especially for teenagers who consider Smriti their sports idol, the effect could be even worse, as it gets very well internalised that success and talent also do not safeguard anybody from body judgment, which may worsen self-criticism and anxiety in their growing-up years.

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How Online Hate Affects Common People

While Smritu has the support system and confidence built through years of professional sport, not everyone has the same. Viral incidents of body-shaming normalise cruelty and embolden others to comment on bodies in classrooms, workplaces, and homes. Over time, this kind of culture promotes shame over self-acceptance and increases vulnerability to anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and body dysmorphia.

Why Online Hate and Criticism Need to Stop

The overwhelming support for Smriti in response to the trolling was a reminder that these narratives can be challenged. Celebrating achievements, calling out toxic behaviour, and making conscious shifts away from appearance are small yet powerful steps toward healthier conversations. Athletes are not mannequins; their bodies are instruments of strength, endurance, and skill, and not objects for public approval.

Bottomline

Body-shaming, even under the guise of opinion, can have serious repercussions on people’s minds. It may even feed body dysmorphia and perpetuate negative beauty standards that anyone can suffer from, not just celebrities.