Fardeen Khan reveals how he dealt with being body-shamed by trolls

Fardeen Khan, who recently revealed that he is planning a comeback to films, has spoken about what he was up to in the decade that he has spent away from Bollywood. Fardeen fuelled rumours of a return last week, when he was spotted outside the office of casting director Mukesh Chhabra. Fans also noted that he'd returned to top shape.

In an interview, Fardeen said that he has no qualms about auditioning, as it is all a 'part of the process' of securing 'meaty' roles. He also spoke about how he dealt with online backlash that followed when he was photographed in 2016, looking overweight.

He told The Times of India, "In our profession, a lot of importance is given to how you look. You are expected to look your best at all times. When I was trolled for my weight, I wasn't actively part of the film industry. I had been away for years, so I was surprised at the degree and intensity of the reactions. That was my introduction to being trolled on social media, the new age that we live in."

He continued, "It doesn't feel good to be in that situation, but you have to look at it for what it is. You have to find positivity within yourself. If you constantly seek validation from other people on what they think about you, you need to rethink that. Also, you need to be honest with yourself. I was extremely out of shape then. I found humour in it to whatever extent I could and moved on. I've never looked outwards for reassurances and validation. I know my truth and where I stand. I was well equipped to handle the criticism because of my personal attitude. When I posted my response, I saw people identifying with that as well."

In 2016 Fardeen had responded to the backlash in a series of tweets, claiming that he was in a happy space, and unbothered by the negative comments. He said in the interview that being a parent motivated him to get back in shape, as he wants to lead by example and wants his daughter to get into fitness.

Fardeen had made his acting debut in 1998 with Prem Aggan. He was also seen in Jungle, Janasheen, Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya, Love Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega, Bhoot and others. He is the son of late actor-director, Feroz Khan.