Masaba Gupta recently praised actor Bipasha Basu for her “athletic build” while seemingly taking an indirect dig at Mrunal Thakur‘s old comment describing Bipasha’s appearance as “manly with muscles“.Taking to her Instagram Stories, the fashion designer wrote, “I’m happy to see Bipasha on a cover. You see, she is the last of the OGs. There won’t be another Bipasha because everything is a cookie-cutter template today. Dull. Doesn’t inspire one bit of confidence. And Bipasha, I love your athletic build. I love the muscle, and I want more thanks to standard you have set. Too bad if someone doesn’t see that as feminine,” pinning a magazine cover which features the Raaz actor.Mrunal had earlier apologised for her comments after a video of her conversation with her Kumkum Bhagya co-star Arjit Taneja went viral. In the video, the actors were discussing fitness when Arjit dared her to do a headstand. Jokingly, Mrunal said he could sit while she balanced on her head. He also challenged her to do push-ups, prompting her to compare herself to Bipasha Basu and ask Arjit whether he would prefer to marry a muscular woman. She remarked, “Do you want to marry a girl who is manly with muscles? Go marry Bipasha.” She added, “Listen, I am far better than Bipasha.”DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.Consultant dietitian and fitness expert Garima Goyal told indianexpress.com that Masaba’s take is a much-needed reminder that strength and femininity are not opposites. “In a culture where women are often expected to look delicate, small, soft, or ‘not too muscular’, Masaba’s words bring attention to an important conversation: a woman can be strong, muscular, athletic, graceful, beautiful, and feminine all at once,” Goyal shared.Why are muscular women still judged?When men build muscle, it is celebrated as strength, discipline, and masculinity. But when women build muscle, they are often questioned, labelled, or made to feel less feminine. This mindset is not only outdated, it is also unhealthy. Muscle is not a threat to femininity. Muscle supports posture, metabolism, bone density, insulin sensitivity, joint strength, and long-term health. For women especially, strength training becomes even more important with age because muscle mass and bone density naturally decline over time,” remarked Goyal. Masaba Gupta shares her perspective on Bipasha Basu’s athletic build (Photo: Elle/Masaba Gupta/Instagram Stories)From a health and nutrition perspective, an athletic female body is not built by accident. “It requires consistent training, adequate protein, balanced meals, good recovery, hydration, and sleep. A strong body needs fuel. Women cannot build or maintain muscle by surviving on salads, detox drinks, and under-eating. They need enough protein for muscle repair, carbohydrates for training energy, healthy fats for hormones, and micronutrients like iron, calcium, vitamin D, magnesium, and B vitamins for stamina and recovery,” said Goyal.Story continues below this adThis is why the conversation around women’s bodies needs to shift from “thin” to “strong.” “Being fit does not mean looking fragile. It means being able to move well, lift well, recover well, and live with energy. A woman with visible muscle is not less feminine; she is simply physically conditioned. Her body reflects effort, routine, and strength. And strength has no gender,” Goyal said.Goyal also shared how so many women avoid lifting weights because they fear becoming “too muscular,” even though building significant muscle takes years of intentional training, progressive overload, and proper nutrition. “A few dumbbells or gym sessions will not make a woman bulky overnight. What they will do is improve strength, posture, metabolism, confidence, and body composition,” said Goyal.According to Goyal, muscle is not masculine. “Muscle is health. Muscle is independence. Muscle is confidence. And if a woman chooses to build a strong body, that strength does not take away from her femininity; it adds to her power,” added Goyal.DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.