No one has the right to judge what kind of mother I am: Kareena Kapoor Khan

Actor unhappy with the media buzz around her pregnancy and baby son Taimur

Ever since Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan welcomed their first-born on December 20 last year, they have been under public scrutiny. One might argue that as one of Bollywood’s most talked-about couples, both Kareena and Saif ought to be used to the limelight by now but the buzz since the birth of their son Taimur has been stronger than usual.

It all began with Kareena working through her pregnancy and taking her time to lose her post-pregnancy baby weight, shattering everyone’s expectations of how an A-list film heroine should look. Then, the media didn’t even let little Taimur be, speculating about how he had been named after a tyrannical ruler from ancient times.



In a recent interview, however, Kareena finally set the record straight on everything that has been said and written about herself and her family over the past few months. “This is the beginning of a new phase in my life,” Yahoo! quoted the superstar as saying. “Ever since I became a mother, I have been learning new things with every passing day. It’s a long journey which Saif and I are very excited about. I agree that very often, pregnant women are seen as ticking time bombs but that never bothered me.”

The Bajrangi Bhaijaan star went on share how she makes sure to do things her way. “Generally, I do what I want and enjoy. Being pregnant and still working and being out and about was something I chose to do,” Kareena stated. “In India, everyone has an opinion when it comes to women. ‘You’re old enough to be married’, ‘You must have a baby now.’ None of this resonates with me. People in the West reproduce when they are well past their 40s even! When you want to have a baby is your choice completely.”

Kareena also called out those who criticised her for getting back to work shortly after Taimur’s arrival. “Yes, I was back on my feet just a few days after the delivery but it’s upsetting to have people judge you for that. I mean, no one has the right to comment on how I conduct myself or what sort of mother I am,” she clarified. “But again, everyone seems to have an opinion.”

According to the actor, people tend to generalise what women go through during and after a pregnancy. “Post-partum depression, for example, isn’t a must, is it? It’s whimsical to generalise what women go through, almost making it sound like a norm. Every pregnancy and every mother’s journey with her child during those nine months and afterwards is different,” added Kareena. “But you can’t draw parallels! Nobody out there really knows me or what I’m feeling at a given time. How can they decide for me that I’m supposed to feel depressed or how I can step out 45 days? If I am spoken about like this, what would it be like for other women?”



Kareena also opened up about the pressures of being under constant media spotlight, especially after giving birth. “Just because my husband and I are not on social media, talking about our emotions on an hourly basis, people take the liberty to put out stories about us and our child,” she said. “It’s annoying to read reports of how I’m losing my pregnancy weight, for example. As a couple, Saif and I don’t share details of our lives with everyone so I will not clarify what we do, how I plan to lose weight or what I want to do with my baby. I will enjoy my life on my terms and how I am as a mother is something that will unfold with time.”

Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below.