They want to copy: After Jaya Bachchan, Asha Parekh takes issue with Indian women in western clothes

Earlier this month, veteran actor Jaya Bachchan shared her two cents on women in western clothing and was of the opinion that it gives 'manpower' to a woman. Bollywood artist Asha Parekh, who is currently attending the 53rd International Film Festival of India seems to be in agreement with Jaya. Speaking on the sidelines of the extravaganza, Asha expressed disappointment in the westernisation of Indian women who have stopped wearing traditional outfits, especially at big-scale events, reported Hindustan Times.

According to Parekh, gowns have replaced the shalwaar kameez and ghagra choli and the actor is very upset about it. Parekh said, “Everything has changed. The films that are being made. I do not know why we are so westernized now. Gowns pehen ke wedding pe aa rahi hain ladkiyan. Arre bhaiya, humari ghagra choli, saariyan aur shalwar kameez hai aap wo pehno na. Why don’t you wear those (Why don’t they wear a ghagra choli, saree or shalwar kameez)?”

She added, “They just watch the heroines on the screen and wish to copy them. Screen pe dekh ke wo jo kapde pehen rahe us tarah ke kapde hum bhi pehnenge. Ye western ho raha hai mujhe dukh hota hai (They just want to wear the clothes being worn by the actors on screen. I am very sad about westernisation).”

A few days ago, veteran actor Jaya Bachchan had also voiced a similar opinion. On the podcast What The Hell Navya, Jaya had asked her daughter Shweta Bachchan and granddaughter Navya Nanda, “Why is it, I want to ask you both, that Indian women are wearing more western clothes, especially pants?” When none of them had an answer, Jaya said, “I feel what has happened is very unknowingly, we’ve accepted that the western clothing is more… it gives that manpower to a woman. I would love to see a woman in a womanpower. I’m not saying go wear a saree, that’s just an example but I think in the west also women always dressed in dresses. This whole thing came much later in life where they also started wearing pants.”

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