When Amitabh Bachchan recalled Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's endurance during Aaradhya Bachchan's birth: ‘She had to struggle…'

Indian Express

2 days ago

Few may remember, but soon after Aaradhya Bachchan's birth in November 2011, Amitabh Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan stepped out of their Mumbai residence, Jalsa, to meet the waiting media and share the joyful news. During that brief yet heartfelt interaction, Amitabh spoke about the baby's features.
'It seems to me that she looks like Aishwarya. But as you all know, children's faces change daily. I still believe she looks like Aishwarya. Some people in the family think she resembles Jaya or Abhishek a little,' he said.
In that same exchange with the media, Amitabh Bachchan revealed he was taking time off from work. 'I am free now. Kaun Banega Crorepati is over and I don't have any films at the moment. So I'm free, and I will now stay at home.' Abhishek, standing beside him, added that his father would now be spending more time at home to help care for his granddaughter. One of the most emotional parts of the day came when Amitabh opened up about Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's strength during childbirth. His account offered a rare and deeply respectful glimpse into a personal moment. 'She had to struggle but I commend her that she was in acute labour for a long time, almost 2–3 hours. But she persisted and said she wanted a normal delivery. She did not use any epidural or painkiller.'
Also Read | Amitabh Bachchan 'couldn't sleep for two nights' after Aishwarya Rai suffered 'terrifying' injury on Khakee sets: 'Akshay Kumar extricated her'
What many are also unaware of is that Aishwarya was originally cast as the lead in Madhur Bhandarkar's much-anticipated film Heroine. Aishwarya had signed on to play the role of Mahi Arora, a complex and troubled Bollywood star. However, her pregnancy led to an abrupt change in plans. Once the news of her pregnancy reached the producers, the decision was made to replace her with Kareena Kapoor Khan. Bhandarkar later addressed the situation on his personal blog, explaining his reasons for letting go of the actress.
He wrote about being caught off guard by the development, stating he was 'in a state of total shock and depression.' With 65 days of filming still left, the director said the timeline meant Aishwarya would be '6-7 months pregnant,' a reality that would alter the on-screen image of the glamorous protagonist and 'seriously jeopardise the plot.' 'The entire crisis would have taken a humongous shape had the truth not being unveiled when it was..' he wrote, reflecting on the impact her continued participation could have had on the production.
At the time, the situation stirred significant debate in the industry. Speaking to the media, Amitabh Bachchan weighed in on the controversy, defending his daughter-in-law's decision. 'Everybody knew that Aishwarya was married when she signed the film. So you mean to say that actors can't get married or have children? I don't think this can be a part of any contract—that you cannot get married or have children if you are working on a project,' he had said. Ultimately, Amitabh confirmed that the matter had been resolved privately between Aishwarya and the director.