Malayalam actress Vincy Sony Aloshious, best known for her award-winning performance in ‘Rekha’, has spoken about the challenges she faced in the film industry — from self-image issues and rejections to being judged for her physical appearance.

“I thought good acting alone was enough to survive in cinemaBut that wasn’t true. My body size became an issue. I kept hearing that to be a heroine, you had to be slim – that I wasn’t suited for today’s cinema,” Vincy said in an interview with Grihalakshmi.

Raised in Ponnani in a modest family, Vincy grew up watching actors like Manju Warrier and Meera Jasmine, dreaming of becoming like them. “We’re a very ordinary family. My father Aloshious was a driver, mother Sony, and my elder brother Vipin. I always dreamed of being in films, of earning well so I could build a good house and live comfortably,” she recalled.

Her breakthrough came after she appeared on a talent show. “I got a call for an ad film by Martin Prakkat. I was shocked to learn I’d be acting alongside Manju Warrier. I panicked... We had to take 24 retakes. That’s when I learned how fear can paralyse you.”

Her film debut came in 2019 with ‘Vikrithi’. “I hoped my debut would be a box office hit. It wasn’t, but it got noticed,” she said.

The journey, however, was far from smooth. Around the same time, she was selected for a film that required her to lose weight. “I started jogging with my grandfather early in the morning and cut down on food. I lost weight. But three days before filming started, they called to say I was dropped. I locked myself in my room and cried,” she said. “That’s when I truly understood anxiety and depression.”

As offers dried up during the pandemic, she felt her passion wasn’t enough to sustain her career. "I thought good acting alone was enough to survive in cinema,” she said.

Things turned around when she landed a role in 'Jana Gana Mana'. “They wanted recent photos and asked if I had lost weight. That’s when Supriya chechi (Supriya Menon) became my angel. She said, ‘Yes, she has weight. So what? This girl can act.’ Thanks to her, I got the role,” Vincy said.

Her performances in 'Bheemante Vazhi', 'Kanakam Kaamini Kalaham', and the Karikku web series followed. Vincy said she finally overcame her camera fear while working on 'Kanakam Kaamini Kalaham'. 

Despite receiving praise for portraying complex female characters, Vincy has also faced online abuse. “No one has ever said anything to my face. The backlash comes via social media – comments blaming my parents, saying they care only about money no matter what roles their daughter takes,” she said. “But life has made me strong enough to face those remarks.”

Vincy has also made headlines recently after filing a complaint against her ‘Soothravakyam’ co-star Shine Tom Chacko for alleged misconduct on set. The complaint followed an Instagram video she shared after an anti-drug campaign where she declared, “I would no longer work with actors who use narcotics.”

In the video, she described a disturbing incident where a male co-star, allegedly under the influence of drugs, behaved inappropriately. “When I had a minor issue with my costume, he offered to ‘fix it’ in front of everyone,” she said. Vincy also claimed to have seen the actor “exhale a white, powdery substance during a rehearsal”.