Actor Deepika Padukone. (File/Instagram)
Within an hour of Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh — the Bollywood power couple expecting their first child this month — sharing a series of black-and-white images from a recent photoshoot on Monday evening, the post notched up close to two million hits and innumerable comments. These numbers are hardly surprising as the celeb-obsessed social media browsers are always on the lookout for such break-the-internet moments.
The pregnancy portraits capture a gorgeous, glowing Padukone, with Singh joining her in some of the photos. These images, shot by Avani Rai, of an expectant mother showing off her bump have now been shared by innumerable social media platforms and have drawn hyperbolic comments, such as “mother is mothering” and “mother of the year”. Apart from being a pop-cultural milestone, these images bear a greater significance. They should silence those who have been insinuating that Padukone has been faking her pregnancy, with many even suggesting that she was sporting a prosthetic belly during her public appearances.
Widespread speculation about Padukone’s pregnancy was triggered by her appearance at the 77th BAFTA Awards on February 19, where she was the presenter for the Best Film Not in the English Language award. The reason: The midriff-covering ivory sari that she wore to the ceremony. Ten days later, Padukone and Singh jointly announced on social media that they are expecting their first child, due in September.
Ideally, this announcement should have satiated celebrity gossip-seekers and allowed the parents-to-be the space that they needed to prepare themselves for the new role. Instead, there has been continuous speculation about Padukone’s bump: Each time she stepped out, at different stages of her pregnancy, online trolls accused her of faking her bump. Some implied that she has opted for surrogacy and the bump was meant to hoodwink people. When she appeared in a bump-hugging black dress and high heels at the promotion event of her last release, Kalki 2898 AD, she was met with negative reactions once again, with many doubting her pregnancy simply because she had worn heels.
Padukone has encountered trolling before too, but the chatter about her pregnancy was particularly vicious. There is a well-established pattern of online users, emboldened by the anonymity that the internet offers them, making vitriolic comments about celebrities, especially women. Even though male celebrities have been the target of irrational criticism too — for example, Singh and Babil Khan have received such hate in the past — women are seen as the easy targets, being judged for their bodies, outfits and private life. Last month, Ayesha Takia received so much backlash over allegedly undergoing plastic surgery that she deactivated her Instagram account temporarily. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, one of India’s global fashion icons, is another frequent target and is often body-shamed and mocked for her appearance.
Several celebrities, including filmmaker Karan Johar, have spoken about receiving hate messages online and how it impacts their mental health. Cynics may argue that “hate comments” contribute to expanding celebrities’ reach, but it would be foolish to assume that they do not impact them at all. While digital creators such as Kusha Kapila or Uorfi Javed may have learnt to take such trolling in their stride, unsavoury remarks do leave a bitter aftertaste.
For now, Padukone’s photoshoot has silenced the trolls. But, to take advantage of the stir the star couple created, multiple social media handles are now conducting online polls about whether the couple will have a boy or a girl — not unlike the conversation that nosy neighbours and prying relatives might have. This is the new reality of the glitzy and gilded world of celebrities. Padukone knows that. She also knows how to play the game, with images that exude the elegance and glamour of a high-fashion magazine photoshoot, while also shutting down the doubters and trolls.
alaka.sahani@expressindia.com
