Deepika Padukone’s pregnancy has become the internet’s new favourite controversy. As the actress hasn’t gained the “ideal” pregnancy pounds, she’s being accused of wearing a fake baby bump.
Well, to the men, I say: no uterus, no opinion.
And, for the ladies buying into this nonsense, this is what happens when you restrict your biology knowledge to class eight textbooks.
Maybe a quick trip to the gynaecologist for a refresher course could help you.
Low weight gain during pregnancy is normal.
It signifies that the body isn’t storing enough fat. It can also be related to your diet and weight before you become pregnant.
I remember visiting a doctor complaining about my inability to gain weight. She told me that my high metabolism was the reason. The doctor even told me that I wouldn’t put on much weight even when I get pregnant.
Maybe, in the future, I will also be faking my baby bump, in the eyes of social media vultures.
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No two pregnancies are the same
We all know that the internet has a knack for policing women’s bodies. You’re either too skinny or too fat, too pale or too dark. Heaven forbid you hit the mythical sweet spot; then, of course, you must’ve gone under the knife.
And surprisingly, this obsession continues even when you’re pregnant.
Every single time Padukone steps out—be it for film promotions, her brand’s event, or even at the airport—she’s bombarded with accusations of faking her pregnancy.
Some comments, on her recent airport spotting, read: “How come she is able to walk comfortably?”, “Maybe surrogacy, and it’s just drama”, “She is a good actress but is not able to do the role of a pregnant woman properly”.
Such comments are a nasty cocktail of misogyny and an ignorance of basic human biology. And, they have to be condemned.
It’s almost like these self-proclaimed critics are hell-bent on enforcing what a pregnant woman should look like, ignoring the fact that no two pregnancies are the same.
Putting on extra pounds like Richa Chadha is normal, and not putting on those extra kgs like Padukone is also normal.
Also, just a reminder, Alia Bhatt didn’t gain much weight during pregnancy either. But, somehow that was fine and this isn’t.
How difficult is it to understand that weight gain and physical changes are as individual as the women themselves?
Not to sound like a broken record, but this obsession with controlling women’s bodies is getting too old and boring.
And naturally, these armchair detectives are zeroing in on how Padukone dared to wear heels during Kalki 2898 AD’s pre-release event.
As if that’s the ultimate smoking gun in their fake baby bump conspiracy theory.
This is the result when you function with a limited brain capacity.
Deepika isn’t the first one to wear heels during pregnancy. The list includes style icon Blake Lively, Meghan Markle, pop sensation Rihanna, and our very own Alia Bhatt and Bipasha Basu.
In the end, accusing someone of faking a pregnancy isn’t just clueless—it’s a violation of privacy and personal autonomy.
Now, before you all rush to brand me as some woke feminist, how about doing a little homework with Goggle Baba?
This isn’t about feminism; it’s just plain, logical biology.
Views are personal.
(Edited by Theres Sudeep)