Ileana D'Cruz Criticised After Announcing Pregnancy: Can We Respect Her Personal Choice?

Actor Ileana D'Cruz took to her Instagram handle to announce her pregnancy. The actor shared a picture of an adorable onesie that read, "And so the adventure begins" and another picture of a pendant with the word "mama." Posting the picture, the Barfi actor wrote, "Coming soon, Can't wait to meet you my little darling!"

Amidst numerous congratulatory messages, including from Ileana’s mother, who expressed her excitement on becoming a grandmother, there were some questions as to if she was married and who the father of the child is. One netizen wrote, "Iski shaadi Kab hui?" and another commented, "Papa kon hai iska?"

Ileana D' Cruz Pregnant

Well, my question is straight and simple: Why does it matter? Why does a woman need to necessarily be married in order to become a mother? Ileana D’ Cruz could have gotten pregnant through IVF, she could be having a baby through surrogacy, or she could be in the process of adopting a baby, none of which is anybody’s business but hers! So why are people bombarding the actor with questions instead of being happy for her?

The actor is reported to be dating actor Katrina Kaif’s brother, Sabastien Laurent Michel, a London-based model. Katrina Kaif indirectly confirmed the relationship during her appearance on Koffee with Karan 7.

The fact that Ileana hasn’t confirmed her relationship with alleged boyfriend Laurent Michel and that she hasn’t revealed the identity of the child’s father is the issue that’s bothering our society. Because at the end of the day, she’s a woman, and she cannot afford to step outside the acceptable social behavioural standards set by patriarchy.

Single men like Karan Johar and Tushar Kapoor who embraced fatherhood through surrogacy were given a get-away card, and no one really bothered to know who their babies’ mother was because they are men. If people are so curious about the other parent of these children, shouldn’t they be questioning both male and female celebrities? But when have we ever held men answerable to anything?

Female celebrities such as Shilpa Shetty, Preity Zinta, Gauri Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Nayanthara, Sunny Leone, Lisa Roy, etc., who had a baby through surrogacy despite being married were heavily criticised because they didn’t "give birth to the baby." But is giving birth the only thing that makes a good parent? If so, there shouldn’t be millions of abandoned children in India!

Women are always criticised for literally everything just because they are "women." Why does a woman have to necessarily get married to embrace motherhood? Can’t an unmarried woman be ready to be a mother? After all, a patriarchal society like ours places the entire responsibility of raising children on women. Equal parenting is a concept that exists only in a few households. So why does it matter if a woman who is self-sufficient decides to have a baby out of wedlock? When she can bring money to the table and take care of the child, she doesn’t necessarily need a man in the picture.

Filmmaker Ekta Kapoor embraced motherhood through surrogacy. In an interview, she said that since she is a single mother who opted for surrogacy, she is well aware of the questions her son would have to face from society in the future. She said that she would rather "teach her son to deal with those questions as he grows older." Now that’s what we should be doing as a society!

It's high time we stop obsessing over the traditional family structure that consists of a father, mother, and children. We need to create a more inclusive environment for the future generation. We need to break free from the patriarchal structure of a family and teach our children that families come in various sizes and shapes, and all of them are beautiful in their own ways. No family is inferior to another.

So what if Ileana D'Cruz has a child out of wedlock? What if she has chosen to be a single mother? What if she has a baby through IVF, surrogacy, or adoption? Why do people feel entitled to criticise her decision? It’s her child and her choice! She will reveal what she wants the world to know when she feels like. Until then, can we all get back to minding our own business?

Suggested Reading: When Ekta Kapoor Embraced Motherhood And Normalised Surrogacy For Others

Views expressed by the author are their own