Jennifer's too busy to exercise

When she grooved to Yello Jogappa in Jogi back in 2005, Mumbai mulgi Jennifer Kotwal became a head-turner in Sandalwood. Saloni — her popular character from the teleserial Just Mohabbat — got her roles in subsequent films. And it wasn’t just her girl-next-door looks — even her svelte bod got noticed.
Cut to 2010. This year too, Jenny grabbed a lot of attention. But for different reasons.The otherwise slim lass had piled on the pounds, which she failed to camouflage even in black — her preferred colour this season for obvious reasons. Jenny first surprised onlookers with a drastic change when she graced a fashion event in August. She followed it up with some Page 3 appearances — again, mostly in black — and the response she evoked from fans and audiences was the same: “What happened to the slim Jenny?”
“My weight seems to have become a state topic, if not a national headline,” laughs JK, when asked why she’s been so careless with her figure. “I’m someone who takes just a couple of weeks to get back into shape and my confidence isn’t shaken just because my weight has become a talking point,” says Jennifer. And she makes no bones about loving the good times. “I like to go out, enjoy myself, eat and have a great time with my buds. I’m just another normal girl and I’ve never hid that from my fans,” she says.
But in a field that’s full of size-zero lasses and bikini babes, can she afford to look the way she does currently? “It’s not entirely my own doing. I suffered from a slipped disc last year and was advised not to work out. It threw my fitness regimen into a tizzy. Also, now that I’m shooting day and night, where’s the time to hit the gym?” she asks.
JK argues that her weight issue hasn’t affected her work. “Contracts are delivered home to me. People like me for what I am. And irrespective of whether I’m fat or thin, people don’t even take loo breaks in theatres when they see me on-screen. My directors love me for my professionalism; they’ve never questioned me about my weight,” says Jennifer.
No time to exercise, hectic schedules and a demanding career. Will she consider going under the knife? “Never. All of my doctor friends tell me, ‘Jenny, people come to us with your photograph wanting a face like yours. They even want their nose and lips fixed to resemble yours. Don’t ever change yourself for anything.’ I’m going to follow their advice,” she concludes.
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