Masaba Gupta Hails Bipasha Basu, Says ‘Too Bad If Someone Doesn’t See That as Feminine’
Masaba Gupta has praised Bipasha Basu for her athletic physique and fitness legacy, saying she loves the actress’s muscular build and sees no reason why strength should be considered unfeminine. Her comments have drawn attention because they come against the backdrop of an old remark by Mrunal Thakur about Bipasha’s muscular appearance.
Gupta shared a post featuring Bipasha and called her “the last of the OGs,” while also praising her athletic physique. “I love your athletic build. I love the muscle,” Masaba wrote, adding that Bipasha had set a standard for fitness. She then said, “Too bad if someone doesn’t see that as feminine.”
Masaba did not mention Mrunal Thakur by name. However, given the earlier controversy surrounding Mrunal’s comments about Bipasha’s muscular body, social media users and entertainment publications have interpreted Masaba’s words as an indirect response.
Masaba Gupta Praises Bipasha Basu’s Athletic Physique
Masaba Gupta’s latest comments focus primarily on Bipasha’s fitness and the way women’s bodies are judged.
In her post, Masaba celebrated Bipasha Basu as one of the original stars of her generation. She wrote that there would not be “another Bipasha” and praised the actress for her individuality.
Her strongest praise was reserved for Bipasha’s athletic build. Masaba said she loved the actress’s muscle and wanted more of it herself, crediting Bipasha with setting a high fitness standard.
The line that attracted the most attention was her remark that it was “too bad” if someone did not see that physique as feminine.
Why Mrunal Thakur’s Name Has Entered the Conversation
The reference to Mrunal comes from a controversy that began when an old interview from the actress’s television days resurfaced online.
In the clip, Mrunal Thakur was seen discussing the idea of a muscular woman with her Kumkum Bhagya co-star Arjit Taneja. During the conversation, she referred to Bipasha as a “manly” woman with muscles and also compared herself favourably to the actress.
The remarks were criticised online as body-shaming. Importantly, the footage was old and resurfaced years after it was originally recorded, when Mrunal was around 19.
Mrunal Thakur Later Apologised
Following the backlash, Mrunal addressed the resurfaced video through an Instagram Story.
She acknowledged that her younger self had said things without fully understanding the impact of her words. Mrunal said her intention was never to body-shame anyone and described the exchange as playful banter that went too far.
She also said that, with time, she had come to appreciate that beauty exists in every form and that she wished she had chosen her words differently.
Bipasha Basu Had Already Responded to the Controversy
Bipasha herself responded to the resurfaced controversy without directly naming Mrunal.
The actress shared a message encouraging women to support one another and challenged the idea that women should avoid looking physically strong. She highlighted the benefits of building muscle for physical and mental health and encouraged women to move beyond the traditional notion that femininity requires women to appear delicate or physically weak.
That response helped shift the conversation away from a celebrity disagreement and toward a broader discussion about women’s bodies, fitness and conventional ideas of femininity.
Masaba’s Comment Appears to Reinforce That Message
Masaba’s latest remarks fit closely with that broader conversation.
Rather than treating muscularity as something that takes away from femininity, her message presents strength and femininity as compatible. Her praise of Bipasha also recognises the actress’s long association with fitness and her distinctive image in Bollywood.
Still, it is important to distinguish between what Masaba actually said and how people are interpreting it. She praised Bipasha directly, but she did not identify Mrunal or explicitly say that her post was a response to Mrunal’s old interview.
What Is Confirmed?
- Masaba Gupta praised Bipasha Basu’s athletic physique and fitness standards.
- Masaba said she loved Bipasha’s muscle and described it as feminine.
- An old Mrunal Thakur interview resurfaced in which she made remarks about Bipasha’s muscular physique.
- Mrunal subsequently apologised and said she had been 19 when she made the comments.
- Bipasha responded at the time with a message supporting strength and challenging outdated ideas about muscularity.
What Remains Unconfirmed?
The biggest point of caution is the supposed “dig” at Mrunal.
Masaba did not name Mrunal Thakur in the post. The interpretation that she was responding to Mrunal comes from the timing, subject matter and the similarity between Masaba’s comments about femininity and the issue raised by Mrunal’s old remarks.
Therefore, it would be inaccurate to state as a confirmed fact that Masaba “attacked” or “called out” Mrunal.
At this stage, the safer description is that Masaba’s remarks appear to have been interpreted as an indirect response to the earlier controversy.
Why the Conversation Around Femininity Matters
The controversy has resonated because it touches on a familiar issue in the entertainment industry: the expectation that women should fit a particular physical idea of femininity.
Bipasha’s career has long been associated with fitness and a strong, athletic physique. The debate surrounding the resurfaced video highlighted how easily physical strength can still be described using gendered terms.
Masaba’s comment adds another perspective: a woman does not have to choose between being strong and being feminine. Her praise of Bipasha essentially challenges the assumption that the two are incompatible.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Masaba Gupta say about Bipasha Basu?
Masaba Gupta praised Bipasha Basu’s athletic physique and said she loved her muscle and the fitness standard she had set. She added, “Too bad if someone doesn’t see that as feminine.”
Did Masaba Gupta directly mention Mrunal Thakur?
No. Masaba did not name Mrunal Thakur in the post. The connection is an interpretation based on Mrunal’s earlier comments about Bipasha’s muscular physique.
What did Mrunal Thakur say about Bipasha Basu?
In an old resurfaced interview, Mrunal referred to Bipasha as a woman who was “manly with muscles” and made a comparison between herself and Bipasha. The comments were criticised as body-shaming.
Did Mrunal Thakur apologise to Bipasha Basu?
Yes. Mrunal apologised after the old video resurfaced, saying she was 19 at the time and did not understand how much her words could hurt. She said she never intended to body-shame anyone and wished she had chosen her words differently.
What was Bipasha Basu’s response?
Bipasha shared a message encouraging women to support one another and argued that women should be strong and build muscle rather than follow the outdated idea that women should not look physically strong.
The Bottom Line
Masaba Gupta’s latest praise for Bipasha Basu has reopened discussion around the actress’s long-standing fitness image and the idea of what is considered feminine. While many online users have interpreted Masaba’s words as a dig at Mrunal Thakur, Masaba herself did not name Mrunal, so that part remains an interpretation rather than a confirmed statement.
What is clear is that Masaba chose to celebrate Bipasha’s athletic build rather than treat muscularity as something that diminishes femininity — a message that echoes the fitness-focused response Bipasha gave when the earlier controversy surfaced.
Sources
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Hindustan Times — Report on Masaba Gupta praising Bipasha Basu’s athletic build and referencing the actress’s fitness legacy.
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Telegraph India — Report on Masaba Gupta’s praise for Bipasha Basu and the apparent reference to Mrunal Thakur’s old remark.
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Mid-Day — Report on Masaba Gupta’s comments about Bipasha Basu’s athletic build and the renewed discussion around Mrunal Thakur’s old remark.
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IANS — Report on Masaba Gupta praising Bipasha Basu and the apparent reference to Mrunal Thakur.
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Free Press Journal — Report on Masaba Gupta’s comments and the speculation that they were an indirect reference to Mrunal Thakur.
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