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Journalism of Courage
Singer-composer-actor Himesh Reshammiya’s social media presence is a study on unbridled confidence and self-expression. He doesn’t shy away from singing his tunes––in his unique voice––as he lifts weights at the gym, and netizens can’t get enough of his devil-may-care attitude. In a recent conversation with Pinkvilla, Reshammiya opened up about dealing with criticism and also responded to Janhvi Kapoor’s comments about him in a Koffee with Karan episode.
Kapoor had said Reshammiya doing bicep curls in the gym singing his song Tandoori Nights is “the best thing in the world,” and that she loves it. Reshammiya said,”Yes, I know. This is a very good thing. It has been so many years, but the likeability of ‘Tandoori Nights’ remains. We have millions of views—the word ‘tandoori’ is very lucky for me.”
How does he handle criticism? With self-belief and faith. “I would have stopped a long time ago if I had let what people say affect me. If I doubted myself, I wouldn’t be here. You should do what you can, pray to God, and accept all the love that comes your way.”
Reshammiya also credited Akshay Kumar for inspiring his approach to feedback. “Akshay Ji always says, ‘We have all these formulas—listen to someone else’s point of view and then improve it. If they have a certain perspective, work on it and prove them wrong’.”
To understand how to channel criticism into self-improvement, Indianexpress.com spoke to Rima Bhandekar, psychologist at Mpower, Aditya Birla Education Trust. She shared three key strategies:
Criticism can sting, especially when delivered harshly. Bhandekar suggested stepping back and assessing the criticism objectively. “Ask yourself––’How would a calm, wise and successful person respond to this?’ Then, focus on the useful, actionable parts of the feedback while separating the tone from the message,” she said.
Negative comments can trigger anger, shame, frustration, or feeling of worthlessness. In such cases, it is important to take a pause before reacting. “Few deep breaths, talking to someone wise in your circle, writing down answers to self-reflective questions, or taking a quick walk can help you to avoid overthinking about the criticism,” Bhandekar said.
She also said, “Ask yourself––’What can I learn from this? Am I reacting to the words or the way they were said?'” According to her, one should respond to disapproval with thankfulness and a humble attitude. “Find a way to thank the person for their feedback, this will signal that you are open to learning,” she said.
Rather than letting negativity derail you, treat it as a stepping stone to improvement. “Believe life is a journey of improvement, and accept criticism as a way to energise your resilient nature. If you are told off for not meeting expectations, talk to expert people about how you can advance over time,” Bhandekar said.
Bhandekar also said that gaining fresh perspectives from others helps process criticism constructively. “Ultimately, recognising that opinions will always exist—and choosing to view yourself with kindness—can prevent unnecessary self-judgment,” she said.
