Each time shes at Cannes,she sparks off a flurry of micro-blogging. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan seems to be the woman fashion aesthetes love to hate. More than Sonam Kapoor,Bollywoods true-blue fashion maven,it is Aishwaryas sartorial choices that make the most noise. But Ash smiles through it all. She has been having the last laugh shes been a top-seeded actress,despite not letting her gauche wardrobe overtake her superb histrionics. Shes married to one of the most eligible men from among the most celebrated families. And for over a decade,shes been the face of one of the richest cosmetic companies in the world. What more could a gal want? Shed want it to continue. Judging by Aishwaryas appearances at Cannes this year,Im hoping she isnt pushing her fame and her fans a bit too far. Apologies if I may sound politically incorrect,but I really wish Aishwarya loses her post- partum adipose soon. You cant be in the beauty business and be that size,not if you want to be taken seriously. Celebrity is a ruthless lover,you have to earn your every moment in the sun. In one red-carpet walk,she wore an Abu-Sandeep armour blouse with a heavy chikankari sari. If the idea was 100 per cent coverage,it sure did the deal. But to watch her in the navy lace dress by Elie Saab,a designer who can make any woman feel like she owns the room,Aishwarya seemed unforgivably huge. Shed rather be healthy,she stated at Cannes,reacting to a question about her much-reported weight gain. She also said shes in no mood to listen to peoples recommendations when it comes to dieting and she savours her food. Thats a pity. Because any half-decent OB/GYN will tell you that chubby is not healthy. Many doctors train you not to put on too much weight during your pregnancy,and to lose it soon after childbirth. And if you do enjoy tucking in,do,please be responsible enough to work it off pronto. For too long,Aishwarya has taken her everywoman act too seriously. Despite being one of the highest-paid actresses,Aishwarya married in an ordinary gold Kanjeevaram. She lives in a joint family and plays the role of a traditional daughter-in-law to the hilt. And like old-fashioned housewives,she prefers to let go after childbirth rather than get back into her fabulous shape. Aishwaryas comments are both outdated and outrageous. India is on a mission to get healthier. The land of milk and honey is actually giving up ghee and butter and making nutritious dietary choices. Were exercising regularly,and septuagenarians are running marathons too. Were rediscovering yoga. Were bootcamping,kick-boxing,zumbaing into fitness. No more is slimness equated with vanity-induced crash diets,and chubbiness with prosperity. Women are thankfully letting go of the notion that being a mother overrides everything else. Children are adored and desired but having a child cannot become your be-all,end-all moment. In fact,Indian feminists are long debating the pressure society places on women by deifying motherhood. Childbirth and child-rearing are hard in any case. Add a career to that and you have a superwoman. Then sprinkle on some me-time. Here is a woman who cares for herself as much as for those she loves. And here is a real heroine.namratanow@gmail.com
