Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Sep 5: Actor Bipasha Basu has criticised the unforgiving “bounce back” culture surrounding women after childbirth, recalling the “major, major trolling” she faced after the birth of her daughter Devi in 2022.

In an interview with Elle India, the 47-year-old actor said a few insensitive paparazzi photographs quickly led to scrutiny of her post-pregnancy body, highlighting the pressure women face to return to their pre-pregnancy appearance while adjusting to motherhood and the changes that come with it.

Bipasha said the expectations placed on women are particularly unfair because they are often compared with the bodies they had in their twenties, even when they are in their forties.

“The conversation around women’s bodies is quite bizarre even now. Magically, when you give birth, you are supposed to get back into the shape of your twenties even when you are in your forties,” she said.

She added that women are expected to “bounce back” almost immediately after giving birth and face severe trolling if they fail to meet those expectations.

“I went through major, major trolling. A few insensitive paps took really bizarre pictures of me,” Bipasha recalled.

The actor said people rarely consider the challenges faced by a new mother, including caring for a baby, managing her lifestyle and dealing with personal pressures.

“They don’t see how much effort the woman must be putting in, how much they have to do with a baby, with their life, with their lifestyle and also their personal pressures. Nobody really cares. Everybody expects you to bounce back,” she said.

Despite the criticism, Bipasha said the trolling did not affect her confidence. Known for maintaining a strong focus on fitness, she said she understands her own journey and does not allow outside opinions to determine how she approaches it.

“I’m an extremely confident person, so no kind of trolling can break me,” she said. “I know what my journey is, I know what work I need to put in, when I need to put it in, and I will go with that. Outside noise does not really matter.”

Bipasha welcomed Devi with actor Karan Singh Grover on November 12, 2022. Since becoming a mother, she has frequently shared glimpses of her family life and moments with her daughter on social media.

Bipasha and Karan first met while working on Alone in 2015. Their professional association developed into a relationship, and they married in April 2016 after dating for nearly a year. They welcomed their daughter six years later.

The actor has also been vocal about fitness and health, particularly issues concerning women. She said her own experience after pregnancy made the pressure surrounding women’s bodies even more apparent.

On the work front, Bipasha was last seen alongside Karan in the web series Dangerous. Written by Vikram Bhatt and directed by Bhushan Patel, the series marked her OTT debut and also featured Sonali Raut, Natasha Suri, Suyyash Rai and Nitin Arora. The series is available to stream on MX Player.