In the midst of growing global discourse surrounding women’s participation in male-dominated sports, recent events have highlighted the ongoing challenges female athletes face. At the Paris Olympic Games, Algerian boxer Imane Khelif became the target of harassment and bullying from pundits, spotlighting the discrimination faced by women in traditionally masculine sports.
Photographer Keerthana Kunnath explores similar themes in her striking series, Not What You Saw, which documents the lives of female bodybuilders in India who are defying both western beauty standards and societal expectations of femininity. Through her lens, Kunnath captures not only the strength of these athletes but also their multifaceted roles as mothers, teachers, and designers—revealing the added pressures women in sport face compared to their male counterparts.
For Keerthana Kunnath, born in Calicut, the stories of these remarkable women struck a chord—as they would with any woman who has grown up in India. In a country where a strong, confident, muscular woman is still a rarity, Kunnath highlights the female bodybuilders who are boldly challenging traditional beauty standards. While women in India often take on roles as doctors or teachers, seeing a female bodybuilder is something truly unprecedented.
In India, even today, the idea of a muscular woman is seen as unconventional. Traditional beauty standards, deeply rooted in patriarchal ideals, have long dictated how an “ideal” woman should look—slim, fair-skinned, with long hair—in order to be considered marriageable. From a young age, many girls are taught to conform to these ideals. But these female bodybuilders are defying the status quo. By embracing bodybuilding, they are breaking free from conventional expectations, questioning the male gaze, and redefining femininity on their own terms. Their strength and determination prove that beauty is not about fitting into a mold, but about embracing one’s own power and challenging societal limits.
The journey of these incredible women is nothing short of inspiring, but it doesn’t come without its challenges. “Their path is further complicated by factors like caste, class, and regional differences. Many of them come from families that can’t or won’t support their passion for bodybuilding due to societal expectations or financial struggles,” says Kunnath.
Yet, despite these obstacles, these women push forward with unwavering determination. They not only battle the complex physical and emotional demands of building and maintaining their physiques but also face the deeply ingrained societal norms dictating how a woman ‘should’ look and what is considered a ‘respectable’ career for her.
Driven by their courage and defiance of the status quo, Kunnath embarked on a road trip to meet these bodybuilders where they lived, capturing their strength in a uniquely Indian context. She took them beyond their gyms and workout spaces, photographing them in traditional attire against familiar Indian backdrops—to not only connect with women across India but also to beautifully contrast their powerful physiques with these serene settings. Kunnath captured them by peaceful beaches, resting on grassy patches by lakes, and posing in front of quintessential Keralan homes with terracotta-tiled roofs.These women are living proof that strength knows no boundaries, and that no societal expectation can define what a woman can achieve. They are redefining beauty and success—showing us all that when you follow your passion, you can break barriers, no matter the obstacles in your way. Their journey is a testament to the power of resilience, grit, and the courage to carve out your own path.
