Mumbai Actress Alia Bhatt Opens Up About India's Culture of Slut-Shaming
August 4, 2016 Lena Finkel 0
Alia is opening up about why she feels the need to be so conservative in her private life.
Mumbai-born Alia Bhatt is India's latest breakout movie star. The 23-year-old continues to receive praise for her recent starring role in Udta Punjab where she plays Kumari Pinky, a girl raped and then forced into drug addiction.
And yet despite all of Alia's success, she isn't swarmed by paparazzi. The press doesn't talk about her love life and and social media doesn't debate her latest fling. Now Alia is opening up about why she feels the need to be so conservative in her private life.
Talking with the Huffington Post, she revealed,
"In India, you are a part of a society that's very judgmental. Here, girls having multiple boyfriends is still a huge-ass deal and something that is frowned upon.
I mean, look at Taylor Swift. She's dated, like, everybody. But if she was here, she'd be totally shamed for making those choices. Her image and appeal would be very different. The reason actresses don't talk about their private lives is because in our society there is a lot of slut-shaming. Eventually, I have a responsibility and I have to protect myself."
She also added, "It's important that I am seen in a certain way, it's just the way it is."
Although Alia did not discuss whether, if she had her choice, she would like to be more open with her love life, she did discuss what motivates her to keep quite.
"You know, the fear is of losing a lot and you must understand that it is quite a genuine fear.
You never know who you'll end up upsetting. Which film you stand to lose or which brand you've somehow managed to upset for something that you said. And it extends beyond relationships, to a host of other issues which we may feel passionately about but that require censoring."
We can't imagine what kind of pressure Alia must feel every day. Although celebrities in America also have a ton of pressure put on them as well, it must be stressful to constantly censor yourself in public. We're glad that the actress felt comfortable enough to speak honestly about her culture's expectations and open up about her life in Mumbai.
[related_post themes="flat"]
Lena Finkel
Lena Finkel is the Editor and Founder of Femestella. Prior to starting Femestella, she worked at People, InStyle, and Tiger Beat. Her favorite Housewife is Bethenny Frankel and when she's not watching RHONY, you can probably find her obsessing over her tuxedo cat Tom or hoarding drugstore lipsticks.
Tags: Movies slut shaming
Why Michelle Obama is Proud to Be a Pop Culture Icon
You Have to Read Beyonce's Beautiful Letter in Response to Alton Sterling and Philando Castile's Senseless Deaths
Prince Harry's Live HIV Test Inspires 500% Increase in Self Test Orders
This New Photography Book on the Female Gaze is a Coffee Table-Must
The 7 Best Mystery Mini-Series on Netflix You Haven't Watched Yet
Has Everyone Forgotten That Melanie Martinez Was Accused of Rape?
5 Women on What It's Like to Be Raped by a Boyfriend
'Good Girls': Loving Beth and Rio's Relationship Makes Me Feel Like a Bad Feminist
Leonardo DiCaprio's Dating Habits Are Grossing People Out — And For Good Reason
Copyright © 2020 Femestella. All rights reserved
Femestella