Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt has spoken out against the double standards faced by women in the entertainment industry who decide to start a family. Bhatt and her partner, Ranbir Kapoor, welcomed their daughter Raha in November 2022. Despite being in the midst of a successful career, Bhatt said that having a baby was a “happy, natural decision” that was “led by love”.
In a recent interview, Bhatt spoke about the different expectations placed on male and female actors. She said "You would never ask a man a question about whether having a baby at the peak of his career was a brave decision. I’m being asked, ‘Are you willing to cut your pace down because you’re having a family?’ But to me, that’s okay. Maybe after working for 10 years at a certain pace, I felt that, okay, maybe I can cut that down and be a mum. I feel like it was very much led by love."
Alia added, "I’ve always been that person who just does things with love. Whatever decision I make, if it feels right, I’ll do it. But if it doesn’t feel right, you’ll always see me taking 16 steps back. I could be offered the biggest movie, the biggest team, but if it doesn’t feel right, I wouldn’t be able to take that step forward. So (having a baby) was just purely nominated by that. And I don’t even think there was a question. It was just a very happy, natural decision."
Alia Bhatt’s comments come amid a growing debate in the Indian film industry about gender inequality and discrimination. Many female actors have spoken out about the lack of representation and opportunities for women in the industry, particularly in leading roles. Bhatt’s success as a leading lady and her decision to start a family while still pursuing her career is seen as a positive step towards breaking down these barriers.
Alia Bhatt is currently busy promoting her upcoming films, including Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani and Jee Le Zaraa. She is also set to make her Hollywood debut in Heart of Stone alongside Gal Gadot.
