Jackky Bhagnani recalls being body-shamed by uncle, weighed 150 kg as a child
Synopsis
Jackky Bhagnani's quietest revelation on Double Date wasn't about stardom — it was about a 150-kg child being likened to WWF's Yokozuna by an uncle, and a father who refused to launch his son until he got healthy. A rare, uncomfortable look at how Bollywood polices bodies long before the camera rolls.
Key Takeaways
Jackky Bhagnani revealed he weighed nearly 150 kilos as a child.
An uncle compared him to WWF wrestler Yokozuna in front of his father.
His father, producer Vashu Bhagnani , told him he could not launch him 'in this state'.
The disclosures were made on Neha Dhupia and Angad Bedi's chat show Double Date .
Jackky appeared alongside wife Rakul Preet Singh , whom he married in February 2024.
Actor-producer Jackky Bhagnani has opened up about the body-shaming he endured as a child, revealing he weighed nearly 150 kilos growing up and was once compared to WWF wrestler Yokozuna by a family acquaintance. The candid recollection came during his appearance on Neha Dhupia and Angad Bedi's chat show Double Date, where he was joined by wife Rakul Preet Singh.
The Yokozuna jibe that stayed with him
Recalling one particularly cutting remark, Jackky narrated an incident from the era when Akshay Kumar's Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi was being made and Bollywood was abuzz about wrestler Yokozuna being flown in for the film.
“During one such conversation, a little overweight uncle told my father, 'Why do you need to call Yokozuna from outside? You already have one at home',” Jackky shared on the show. He added, “As a child, you laugh it off in front of people, but those things stay with you.”
On growing up overweight in India
The actor spoke about how casual cruelty around body image and skin colour shapes young minds. “When you are growing up you are also part of all jokes. If you are overweight or dark-skinned in this country, people don't think twice before bullying you,” he said.
He described the lingering self-consciousness such remarks create — the instinct to assume a stranger's laughter is directed at you, even when it isn't.
A father's tough call
Jackky also revisited the moment he told his father, veteran producer Vashu Bhagnani, that he wanted to act. The response was blunt. “He looked at me honestly and said, 'I cannot launch you in this state'. At that moment it hurt, but today I understand that he was trying to push me towards becoming healthier and more disciplined,” the actor recalled.
Why the conversation matters
Jackky's account adds to a growing list of Hindi film actors — from Bhumi Pednekar to Arjun Kapoor — who have publicly discussed weight-loss journeys and the toll of being body-shamed within an industry that has long prized a narrow physical ideal. His remarks land at a time when conversations around mental health, bullying, and appearance-based discrimination are gaining traction in Indian popular culture.
Jackky, who made his acting debut with Kal Kissne Dekha in 2009 and married Rakul Preet Singh in February 2024, continues to balance acting with his production banner Pooja Entertainment.
Point of View
A father later refusing to launch his own son until he 'fixed' himself — exposes how appearance-based shaming is normalised inside film families themselves. The industry's body-positivity messaging will ring hollow until its gatekeepers stop treating fitness as a precondition for dignity, not just for casting.
NationPress
1 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Jackky Bhagnani reveal about his childhood weight?
Jackky Bhagnani revealed that he weighed nearly 150 kilos as a child and was frequently body-shamed. He shared the experience on Neha Dhupia and Angad Bedi's chat show Double Date.
What was the Yokozuna comment Jackky Bhagnani spoke about?
Jackky recalled an uncle telling his father, 'Why do you need to call Yokozuna from outside? You already have one at home', comparing the young Jackky to the WWF wrestler. The remark was made around the time Akshay Kumar's Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi was being produced.
What did Jackky's father say when he wanted to become an actor?
His father, producer Vashu Bhagnani, told him bluntly, 'I cannot launch you in this state'. Jackky said the remark hurt at the time but he now sees it as a push toward discipline and fitness.
Where did Jackky Bhagnani share these revelations?
He shared them on Double Date, a chat show hosted by Neha Dhupia and Angad Bedi. He appeared on the show with his wife, actor Rakul Preet Singh.
