Renuka Shahane defends Aishwarya Rai’s Cannes looks, says criticism is unfair: “Celebrate her achievements, not her weight”

November 10, 2025 - 9:59 AM IST

Actor Renuka Shahane recently spoke out in defense of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, addressing the unfair scrutiny the actor has often faced over her appearance, especially after becoming a mother. Aishwarya, who is frequently in the spotlight for her Cannes Film Festival looks, has been trolled in the past for her post-pregnancy weight gain.

Renuka Shahane defends Aishwarya Rai’s Cannes looks, says criticism is unfair: “Celebrate her achievements, not her weight”

Renuka Shahane on Aishwarya Rai’s Body-Shaming

In an interview with Zoom, Renuka discussed how Aishwarya was body-shamed for her red-carpet appearances after embracing motherhood. Married to Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya gave birth to her daughter, Aaradhya, on November 16, 2011.

Renuka said, “Should we not celebrate her consistent achievements over the years? It doesn’t take a minute for a big company to drop a celebrity. Yet, she has been the brand ambassador for the same company for years, representing India with grace. And all people can focus on is, ‘Oh, what she wore wasn’t right.’ Please don’t do that. If you don’t have anything nice to say, just stay quiet.”

She further acknowledged that female actors often face tremendous pressure in the film industry, especially with the rise of social media. “With social media, it has become a completely different world. There are so much judgment and pressure—it’s very tough for actors, especially women. After becoming a mother, there’s an expectation to look exactly the same as before, which is unfair,” Renuka added.

Abhishek Bachchan’s Response to the Criticism

Following Aishwarya’s delivery, she received considerable criticism for her post-pregnancy weight. At the time, Abhishek Bachchan had also spoken out about the insensitive remarks. In an interview with DNA, he said, “I think it’s extremely insensitive. No one has the liberty to speak about her in that way. Yes, she’s a public figure, but people forget she’s also a woman and now a mother. There’s a line that shouldn’t be crossed. I don’t speak that way about any woman, and it’s not graceful for anyone else to do so either.”

Aishwarya Rai and Renuka Shahane’s Recent Work

On the professional front, Renuka Shahane was last seen in the Marathi film Devmanus. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was most recently seen in Ponniyin Selvan: II, directed by Mani Ratnam. The film, which also starred Vikram, Karthi, Trisha, and Jayam Ravi, was a major box office success, grossing approximately Rs. 344.63 croress56w worldwide. Aishwarya has not yet announced her next project.

Also Read: Devmanus trailer out: Mahesh Manjrekar and Renuka Shahane shine in gripping Marathi remake of Luv Films’ Vadh