An India Exclusive - Actor And Activist Jameela Jamil

Jameela Jamil walks the talk: An unapologetic advocate for body positivity, with a following of nearly two million, she shoots her first ever cover in India—and the images are not filtered or digitally altered. This is as authentic as it gets. Just like Jameela.

- Nonita Kalra

On her way to shoot with Bazaar, Jameela Jamil posted a car selfie, showing the dimpled skin on her thighs. “Love every inch,” it said— “Even the bits you were told were ‘wrong’.” In a hot minute, the tone for our meeting was set. And when she walked into the penthouse suite at The Standard, Downtown, we felt a kinship. Solidarity of sisterhood.

The elegantly stark bathroom is the setting for our interview. Makeup is spread out on the side of the bathtub and Jameela is perched on a dining chair. The team working with her today is the same as the one on her hit show, The Good Place, and they know her preference for simplicity. We’re shooting with the new OnePlus 7 Pro (another exclusive for Bazaar) and she is excited about her first Indian cover. She is effortless in front of the camera. The sky is blue. Los Angeles has laid out a perfect Californian summer and the terrace is buzzing with activity.

Brunch is a religion in the USA, but what really stands out is the diversity you can see. Of ethnicity and shape. It is as if the world has been listening to our cover star. When we break for lunch, Jameela insists we continue the conversation—she feels we have more to discuss. So we speak about feminism, the responsibility of having a voice, the representation of women, especially South Asian, in international media. She’s candid about her health—a hearing impairment since childhood; a road accident that damaged her spine at 17; a connective tissue disorder, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS); anorexia.

Which is why her advocacy for honest, compassionate portrayals of women touches a chord. It comes from a deeply personal, authentic place. And it resonates with her 1.8 million followers on Instagram. With every photo that not only shows but celebrates stretch marks and cellulite, she dismantles the impossible ideal imposed upon women.