Salman Khan never had a problem with her height, while other heroes asked her to bend during shoot. Actress says she lost films because of her height
Bollywood has often celebrated glamour, beauty and larger-than-life personalities, but for some actresses, even something as simple as height became a challenge in building a career. Former actress and model Pooja Batra recently opened up about the struggles she faced in the film industry because of her tall stature. Known for films like Virasat, Nayak: The Real Hero and Jodi No. 1, Pooja revealed that several male actors felt uncomfortable appearing shorter than her on screen, which eventually cost her many film opportunities.
Speaking in an interview with Harper’s Bazaar India, the actress reflected on the challenges of being a tall woman in an industry where many leading men preferred actresses who appeared shorter beside them.
“You’re too tall for movies”
Pooja revealed that she was warned about the issue very early in her career by Sangeeta Bijlani. According to the actress, Sangeeta once told her that her height could become a major obstacle in Bollywood. Pooja admitted that the comment stayed with her because Sangeeta was someone she deeply admired. She described Sangeeta as her idol and recalled looking up to her as both a successful actress and model.
Despite hearing such remarks, Pooja continued auditioning and working in films. However, she eventually realised that the problem was real and that several casting decisions were affected because heroes did not want to look shorter on screen.
Going forward, the actress admitted, "I gave every role I got my best, even though the heroes got intimidated because of my stature. It’s true I didn’t book a lot of movies because of my height. I lost out on a lot of good roles."
The unusual adjustments on set due to actress' height
Pooja also recalled the awkward physical adjustments she had to make during shoots to make her co-stars appear taller. She revealed that she would sometimes do “half-splits” during close-up scenes so that the height gap looked smaller on camera.
The actress said styling also played an important role. During films like Virasat, costume choices were carefully planned to visually reduce her height. She explained that certain colours and outfit combinations were deliberately chosen to create that effect.
Pooja further revealed that she often used her own clothes in films because directors liked her personal fashion sense and preferred a more natural appearance for her characters. She laughed while recalling how filmmakers would sometimes ask her to remove heavy make-up for a simpler look, though she insisted on at least wearing sunscreen during shoots.
Salman Khan was the only actor who never asked for adjustments
While discussing her experiences, Pooja mentioned that Salman Khan was the only actor who never appeared uncomfortable about her height. The two starred together in Kahin Pyaar Na Ho Jaaye. According to Pooja, Salman always encouraged her to wear heels confidently and never asked her to change her appearance to suit the camera frame.
"Salman never had a problem. He was one guy who’d be like, ‘Wear your heels, I don’t have a problem," she quipped.
Bollywood has changed, says Pooja
Looking at the present-day film industry, Pooja said things have improved significantly. She believes actresses like her and Sangeeta Bijlani helped pave the way for taller stars such as Sushmita Sen and Deepika Padukone.
The actress also pointed out that modern filmmaking techniques and changing audience perceptions have reduced the focus on height differences today. According to her, cinema frames and camera work now function differently, making such concerns less noticeable than before.
Pooja added that several globally successful actresses, including Hollywood stars, have proved that height should never limit talent or screen presence.
Speaking in an interview with Harper’s Bazaar India, the actress reflected on the challenges of being a tall woman in an industry where many leading men preferred actresses who appeared shorter beside them.
“You’re too tall for movies”
Pooja revealed that she was warned about the issue very early in her career by Sangeeta Bijlani. According to the actress, Sangeeta once told her that her height could become a major obstacle in Bollywood. Pooja admitted that the comment stayed with her because Sangeeta was someone she deeply admired. She described Sangeeta as her idol and recalled looking up to her as both a successful actress and model.
Despite hearing such remarks, Pooja continued auditioning and working in films. However, she eventually realised that the problem was real and that several casting decisions were affected because heroes did not want to look shorter on screen.
Going forward, the actress admitted, "I gave every role I got my best, even though the heroes got intimidated because of my stature. It’s true I didn’t book a lot of movies because of my height. I lost out on a lot of good roles."
The unusual adjustments on set due to actress' height
Pooja also recalled the awkward physical adjustments she had to make during shoots to make her co-stars appear taller. She revealed that she would sometimes do “half-splits” during close-up scenes so that the height gap looked smaller on camera.
The actress said styling also played an important role. During films like Virasat, costume choices were carefully planned to visually reduce her height. She explained that certain colours and outfit combinations were deliberately chosen to create that effect.
Pooja further revealed that she often used her own clothes in films because directors liked her personal fashion sense and preferred a more natural appearance for her characters. She laughed while recalling how filmmakers would sometimes ask her to remove heavy make-up for a simpler look, though she insisted on at least wearing sunscreen during shoots.
Salman Khan was the only actor who never asked for adjustments
While discussing her experiences, Pooja mentioned that Salman Khan was the only actor who never appeared uncomfortable about her height. The two starred together in Kahin Pyaar Na Ho Jaaye. According to Pooja, Salman always encouraged her to wear heels confidently and never asked her to change her appearance to suit the camera frame.
"Salman never had a problem. He was one guy who’d be like, ‘Wear your heels, I don’t have a problem," she quipped.
Bollywood has changed, says Pooja
Looking at the present-day film industry, Pooja said things have improved significantly. She believes actresses like her and Sangeeta Bijlani helped pave the way for taller stars such as Sushmita Sen and Deepika Padukone.
The actress also pointed out that modern filmmaking techniques and changing audience perceptions have reduced the focus on height differences today. According to her, cinema frames and camera work now function differently, making such concerns less noticeable than before.
Pooja added that several globally successful actresses, including Hollywood stars, have proved that height should never limit talent or screen presence.
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