CNN
—
In picturesque locations throughout India’s southwestern coastal state of Kerala, photographer Keerthana Kunnath has been capturing photographs of strong women showcasing their powerful physiques. Among crashing waves, tropical palms, or rocky formations, these women display their biceps, tense their quadriceps, or accentuate their shoulders, swapping gym attire for a sheer olive dress or stylish checkered bikini top and skirt.
However, in Kerala, the hometown of this London-based photographer, bodybuilding remains a controversial pursuit for women, who are generally expected to conform to conventional feminine standards. After discovering a competitor’s Instagram profile, Kunnath became intrigued by the female bodybuilders who have committed themselves to the sport and challenged societal expectations — often disregarding familial approval as well.
“In our area, it’s not a widely accepted practice,” she articulated during a phone conversation with CNN. “I would hardly label it as a ‘community’ since it’s still relatively recent, and there are merely a few girls who are engaged in it.”
Throughout India, a rising number of female athletes in the discipline have attained professional recognition from its regulatory organization, the International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation — but only in recent years. Deepika Chowdury, a former molecular biologist, became the first Indian woman to achieve this milestone in 2016.
Originally keen on investigating the gender-neutral martial art Kalaripayattu, which hails from Kerala, Kunnath redirected her attention after realizing that the women were concentrating more on building muscle instead. The bodybuilders she photographed — part of her series “Not What You Saw” — were not particularly familiar with each other, yet they were aware of one another through social media and competitions.
“Each time I reached out to each individual and informed them about photographing another person before them, they would exclaim, ‘Oh my goodness, I know her — her physique is amazing. Her thighs are incredible,’” she remarked with a chuckle. “It seemed to create a sense of collective admiration among them.”
For Bhumika Kumar, aged 22 and residing in the city of Kochi, preparation for bodybuilding competitions has satisfied a lifelong aspiration to be an athlete — a dream she was prohibited from chasing as a child, she expressed to CNN via WhatsApp. Now a gold medalist in local events like Miss Kerala and Miss Ernakulam, she has radically transformed herself following what she described as a sedentary youth.
“My parents wouldn’t permit me to go outside to play with other children. Consequently, I was not an active child during my formative years. I always lacked stamina and strength,” she communicated.
As an adult, she discovered her entry into fitness through workouts.“`html
videos on YouTube and enrolled in a fitness center “after numerous disagreements with family,” she remarked. She felt compelled to compete at a professional level but was also conflicted about whether to pursue it until a year ago. “I couldn’t stop contemplating stepping onto the stage,” she stated. “Then I ultimately resolved to go for it and met my trainer.”
Kumar isn’t the sole woman in the series whose family felt entitled to involve themselves in her personal decisions. Kunnath engaged in extensive conversations with each of her subjects by phone prior to meeting them face-to-face to gain deeper insights into their journeys.
“Many of them faced pressure from their families and extended relatives: ‘How can you allow your daughter to enter this arena where they’re developing their muscles? They’re displaying their physiques,’” she recounted, remembering the types of remarks her subjects had received.
Female bodybuilders from Kerala are stepping into a demanding, male-dominated sport necessitating daily dedication under coaches who predominantly cater to training males. One of Kunnath’s subjects, 25-year-old Sandra A S, has been training for four years and currently coaches aspiring bodybuilders as well. She aspires to shatter barriers for women competitors by earning a qualification card to compete professionally on the global platform.
As Kunnath envisioned the series, she drew inspiration from the iconography of Indian goddesses that she encountered in her youth. “I still recall having these posters of goddesses against tranquil backgrounds,” she remembered. Collaborating with a local stylist, Elton John, Kunnath aimed for non-sexualized, heroic images with subtle pastels and flowing textiles, moving away from gym attire or the vibrant, eye-catching swimsuits and direct lighting typical of the bodybuilding stage.
“They are these incredibly muscular, strong, confident young women… yet, they still possess this gentleness,” Kunnath noted. The photographer observed that the more a bodybuilder builds muscle, the more she is perceived as a “very strong, intimidating presence,” but that is not universally true.
Since launching the series, Kunnath has also emphasized supporting her subjects by attending their competitions and capturing their professional headshots as a gesture of gratitude for participating in the project.
“They had to forge this space for themselves,” she stated. “I believe those narratives deserve recognition.”