'Getting tags like sexy, bold was horrible': Riya Sen on why she distanced from Hindi films

Actor Riya Sen who shot to fame in 1998 after she featured in the music video of Falguni Pathak’s song Yaad Piya Ki Aane Lagi has said that being sexualised in films and music videos at a young age made her so uncomfortable that she decided to stop working in Hindi movies. 

Riya was just 16 years old when she had featured in the music video and later went on to work with director Bharathiraja’s Tamil romantic drama Taj Mahal in 1999 marking her silver screen debut. 

In a recent interview, talking about labels, Riya said, "Getting tags like sexy and bold was just terrible, horrible. Living with that... I was in school when the tag of sexy started coming my way. There was so much pressure to always look perfect, a certain way. Even when I went out, people had this perception that Oh Riya Sen because they feel what you’re on screen, you’re the same in real life."

She further added, "I found myself very uneasy, very uncomfortable. It wasn’t me. I couldn’t go on set every day, get my hair curled for hours, and sit with all that make-up. It just didn’t do it for me. I took a conscious decision to stop working in Bollywood movies at that time."

On the work front, Riya is currently seen on MX Player’s Pati Patni Aur Woh, a show she is enjoying. "I’m fitting into this world better than I did in the typical Bollywood formula movies. I’m not saying I’m no more open to Bollywood movies, but I’m very happy where I am."