Why Aishwarya Rai Decided to Put Her Career on Hold and Proved She’s More Than Just a Pretty Face
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1994. Aishwarya is 21 years old.
In 2006, she acted alongside a famous Indian actor named Abhishek Bachchan. They quickly fell in love while working together, and in 2007, they got married.
In 2010, the actress surprised everyone by taking a break from her career for 5 years. In early 2011, the reason became clear — she and her husband would have a baby. Since Aishwarya was 38 years old then, the pregnancy was seen as happening at a bit of an older age.
In this situation, many women might have chosen a C-section, but the actress decided to have a regular birth and even said no to anesthesia. One of her family members shared that Aishwarya wanted a natural delivery.
On November 16, the lovely Aaradhya was born, but Aishwarya faced hurtful comments when pictures of her, taken 5 months after giving birth, spread on social media.
Of course, some people supported the actress and criticized the focus on her weight, calling it wrong. Both regular folks on social media and well-known fashion designers were part of this group.
2012. Aishwarya is 39 years old.
Staying strong in the face of social pressure wasn’t simple for her. But Aishwarya had a history of doing things her way and not caring about what people expect. Her honesty and optimistic attitude likely helped her handle body shaming with grace and fully embrace being a mom.
When asked if she was depressed by how society treated her, she confidently replied, “When I became a mother, it was the most beautiful feeling in the world. There were several hormonal changes within, but it didn’t change anything. There was never a point of self-doubt. I’m so happy in my own life with Aaradhya around and the positivity as well as clarity that I have in my head about myself. Nobody else is dictating or telling me how to be and what to do.”
Taking her time without rushing to satisfy fans or producers, Rai gradually returned to her previous shape. It took her 4 years before she started filming again.
In 2023, at the Cannes Film Festival, the Indian actress wowed everyone with her stunning look in a Sophie Couture dress. During the same event, she had a brief interview about feeling good in your body and not judging yourself or others.
2023. Aishwarya is 49 years old.
“Don’t go around attaching your judgment on others who make their choices. I think that’s just the way it should be. It’s a free world: live and let live,” she said. “I think when people tend to do that, it probably stems from insecurity. If you’re comfortable in your skin, and you’re comfortable being you, you really wouldn’t even expend that energy in being judgmental. It’s as simple as that.”
It’s great to notice that despite Aishwarya’s challenges, she kept her positive attitude towards life. Interestingly, another well-known Indian beauty, Priyanka Chopra, also maintained her positive perspective. She had to deal with harsh criticism for having her baby through surrogacy.