Being thin is her duty?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2145340/India-slams-Bollywood-...
She is a former Miss World, a successful Bollywood star and married to the son of one of India's best-loved stars.
She found international fame in the Hollywood film Bride and Prejudice, and Julia Roberts billed her as the world's most beautiful woman.
Thanks to the notoriety such fame and fortune has brought her, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has become one of the most admired and revered women in India, and indeed the world. But such fame has come at a cost for the 38-year-old star.
Since the birth of her daughter in November last year, Aishwarya Rai has been open about the fact that she is in no hurry to lose the few extra pounds she gained during her pregnancy.
The model and actress, who won the Miss World title in 1994, defended her choice, saying she wanted simply to 'enjoy motherhood.'
But with the star, who married Abhishek Bachchan, the son of India's most loved film star Amitabh Bachnan in 2007, tipped for her 10th appearance at Cannes next week, furious speculation is mounting as to how she will look.
One website posted a video of the star looking less than her usual svelte self, flicking between photographs of her pre-birth, and photos now.
Called 'Aishwarya Rai's shocking weight gain', the clip, which came accompanied by elephant sound effects, has been seen more than 500,000 times.
Dozens more videos in a similar vein have been posted, each with viewing figures in the tens or hundreds of thousands.
Comments left after the video prove that many of those watching have little sympathy for Aishwarya.
'She is a Bollywood actress and it is her duty to look good and fit,' one said. Another added: 'She needs to learn from people like Victoria Beckham who are back to size zero weeks after their delivery.'
It has opened up a debate in the country, and beyond, about the attitudes held towards women in the public eye.
Some unkind fans have compared Aishwarya to Victoria Beckham, saying she should lose weight as quickly as Ms Beckham did after her four pregnancies
Indian women have different figures to Western women like Angelina, Aishwarya's supporters have said
Some unkind fans have compared Aishwarya to Victoria Beckham, saying she should lose weight as quickly as Ms Beckham did after her four pregnancies
'Aishwarya is like a goddess,' said showbusiness columnist Shobhaa Dé in the New York Daily News by way of explanation.
'She is held up as the ideal of beauty and so there is an expectation on her to look perfect at all times.'
'The most beautiful woman in the world': Aishwarya Rai won Miss World in 1994
'The most beautiful woman in the world': Aishwarya Rai won Miss World in 1994
'The role models being held up are Angelina Jolie and Victoria Beckham, but our body frames are different – we have wider hips and curves – so this whole business of looking desperately skinny two weeks after giving birth is a western import.'
Cinema professor Shohini Ghosh added that women in India were up against an almost impossible task.
'There is a glorification of motherhood in India and Indian cinema,' he told the paper. 'But people are confused because they don't know whether to glorify Aishwarya in her new motherhood or lament that she is not looking like a runway model.'
It's safe to say that far too many fall into the latter category, judging by the cruel comments flooding internet sites.
Some, however, have come out in defence of the star, saying that she, like any new mother, should be focusing on her infant, not her diet.
'She is a real women looking after a baby. We should be concern for her health and happiness especially if she is nursing the baby. Not the Western belief of expecting people in the spot light to lose all weight in month. If she dieted what will happen to the baby's diet,' one said.
'That's because Aish is not one of those selfish ones who puts the focus on their bodies instead of their babies, which makes them moody and ineffective as parents,' another said. 'Kudos to you Aish for keeping it real and letting your baby have all the bonding and attention she needs with you. Enjoy your life.'
Thanks Brit ;)
Tyra has often resorted to airbrushing when the need arose :(
What? I think you might have some typos there Brit, I'm not sure what you're saying....
Pretty sick.
I read an article by Tyra Banks today, in which she praised Vogue's decision to no longer show models with obvious eating disorders (i.e. no more size 0's). She said that when she was 17 and starting to model she was a size 4, and that most models were a 4 or a 6 and you never heard of a size 0. Now, she gets phone calls from models that she mentors who are about 15 years old and crying about how hungry and tired they are from trying to stay a size 0 as there bodies are changing and maturing and who are worried about loosing their careers. It's sad that we put these poor girls through this.
She also basically said, anyone who thinks these girls are a size 0 naturally is fooling themselves.
Unless you are a fairy, a REAL one, size 0 is just wrong.
And all those people having the nerve to judge others on weight, appearance what ever, are brainless morons.
And most probably jealous losers too.
Does Ash even need to start Acting Again?
I don't think soo, let her Enjoy her Motherhood and if she is comfortable with her gaining few extra pounds then respect her choice.
Media frenzy makes Life Miserable for Film Stars their Families & even Friends. For once Let Them be in Peace.
does Bachan family knows about QL family, i mean QatarLiving.com ? :)
A woman has a baby and chooses to concentrate more on her motherly duties and yet people have the nerve to assume her duties are towards them and looking good in their eyes! But I guess for a celeb such is life. It's a price they have to pay, cos just like their triumphs are trumpeted to all and sundry their failures too will be as widely broadcast and unjustly scrutinized.
On a lighter note, I'm sure her weight will drop out miraculously once she's ready to get back into showbiz..that is the upside of being a celeb!
Beyonce carried on working late into her pregnancy which kept her quite active, did Aishwarya do the same?
Brt. Beyonce is one gracious goddess! And I’m such a big fan of her heart throbbing music. Her perfectly sculptured curves and slender posture Sometimes makes me even wonder was she ever pregnant?
The issue is not whether or not she can do it. The issue is why should she? If she wants to spend time with her child and relax after giving birth instead of working her butt off at the gym and leaving her baby with a Nanny, or even getting surgery like many of them do, why should she? What's so wrong about carrying around a couple extra pounds after you give birth?
Miss Mimi, we're real women, Aishwarya isn't - she's up on a pedestal in India, she's not allowed to put on weight. She's the public's property now, hahaha.
If Beyonce can do it, then so can Ashwariya ;0)
Aish would have a fleet of people to take care of her and her kid...just saying, no comparisons there.
I know a working mom with a 5 month old doesn't have time for diets and working out!
The modern day woman is being bombarded and attacked from every angle with images of fake plastic operated on bodies.
The modern day working ( sometimes single working ) mom of 3 or 4 school going kids don't even have enough time to sit down and catch their breath let alone be bothered about work-out diets and losing weight.
Not feeling the love Khanan: my lady lumps are disappointed you don't like them :-(
Snessy, my comments are innocently true :) but hey hold on.
O you, Vidya Balan, Katrina Kaif, Tinker, FS, Snessy...et al.
Please don't say anything while Khanan is around, he’s already overflowing with his "lovely" emotions.....else be ready for world warIII.
Unfortunately, she will always be judged and talked about, I guess that's part and parcel of being in the public eye. But it does send out a terrible message to the rest of the female population who aren't in the public eye and now they're probably doing their best to lose the weight and more than likely in an unhealthy way.
i dont feel pity abt her though.
they have got MUCH in return then what small (personal privacy issues) they're paying now.
Exactly Snessy. I feel awful for her. The last thing you want is to hear people talk about your wait while your pregnant or after.
Sadly there just seems to be a trend of famous women loosing all their baby weight within weeks of giving birth, and Rai is just a victim of this new, unhealthy, obsession.
Painther: don't make comments like that unless you want us to fall in love with you.
Poor thing being scrutinised like this. It's bad enough us women putting pressure on ourselves, I'd hate to be her right now knowing the whole country is talking about me and my few extra pounds after giving birth.
all of them
Vidya Balan, Katrina Kaif, Snessy, ;) Tinker Bell, FS,...and continues.....
I prefer invisible waistlines...:)
tinker, I think its alike whether in north r south, we (majority) like them in "indian' shapes than skinny ones,
size zero may be a fshion statement for some but generally what majority likes is 'with curves' :)
who says Indian want/admire skinny gals, check urself once again!!, and watch the success of 'the dirty picture' and Vidya balan.
I am sure that the morons asking her to lose weight are in the minority.. As far as "western beliefs" are concerned , isn't India taking the same route as the West ?? 50 years ago the "normal" bigger woman was readily accepted. Then along came Twiggy and Vogue along with Miss World and everyone wanted to be thin...
I think I should stop attemtping sarcasm, seems I am really bad at it.
She was getting a bit old anyway, time to move on to the next younger model.
Seems funny that it's being blamed on "western" beliefs, when it's Indians calling her the India's Greatest Shame.
Sorry, never saw a Western actress called a nation's greatest shame for not loosing her pregnancy weight.
'............Not the Western belief of expecting people in the spot light to lose all weight in month"....agree.
Oh, I think she's gorgeous. But I think her "duty" is to do what feels right to her.
World’s most beautiful woman? I don’t think so.
back to the topic . Women in general feel they must be skinny, because that's what the media tells us is the way we should look.