Teesta Rajan
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‘Aish needs to cut the umbilical cord. The girl is in her eighth year’, wrote a social media user while trolling the Bollywood star on a picture that showed her holding her daughter Aaradhya’s hand. ‘Please leave her hand Aishwarya and walk her freely’ – said another.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, like most mothers, is extremely attached to Aaradhya, her eight-year-old daughter. Not only is the actress’ social media handle flooded with pictures of her daughter, but one can also, every now and then, spot Aishwarya hanging out with her little one.
Airport, restaurants, weddings, get-togethers, whatever the occasion – Aishwarya can be seen smiling away at cameras, accompanied by Aaradhya. Exactly how many of us, as kids may have followed our mothers around, to random places. Some of us do it even now, but I’m guessing not those who chose to troll Aishwarya.
So what exactly did these people, I’d herewith refer to as ‘trolls’, have an issue with, you may ask. Well, simply the fact that Aishwarya, yet again, held her daughter’s hand in public. More like in a an environment that was likely to be swamped by the paparazzi screaming for attention of the members of the star-studded Bachchan family.
All this, by the way, is happening in a world that also shamed Kareena for not carrying Taimur, and having his nanny do so for her – or even for ‘abandoning’ him to go attend parties. And now the problem is with Aishwarya holding her daughter’s hand all the time.
In the picture, if you look carefully, Aishwarya is not only holding Aaradhya’s hand with one hand, but also her shoulder with the other, so that her daughter feels comfortable in the otherwise chaotic environment. Aishwarya may be a star, but Aaradhya isn’t one – and therefore her privacy and safety is a matter of concern for her mother.
In an interview, not too long ago, Kareena – mother of social media celebrity Taimur Ali Khan, had said that she does get uncomfortable to see people raging over her son. ‘But he is my son, why are you getting so excited?’ The actress had asked.
Coming back to Aishwarya – one may or may not be a mother to understand that the actress’ relationship with her daughter is no one’s business, but hers alone. Whether she holds Aaradhya’s hand, whether she carries her around, till whatever age she does it – IT IS HER WISH.
So take a pledge this Mother’s Day – and say ‘no’ to mommy shaming, because a mother knows what’s best for her child – you don’t.
