Latest news with #Bipasha
News18
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Bipasha Basu, Daughter Devi Twin In Matching Dupattas As They Visit Gurudwara
Fans, as usual, showered Bipasha's family photo with love. Sophie Choudry commented with red heart emojis. Fans wrote, 'God bless you all", 'Satnaam waheguru little princess Devi", and others. Bipasha Basu and Karan Singh Grover met on the set of their horror movie Alone in 2015. After dating for a while, the couple married in a Bengali wedding ceremony on April 30, 2016. Six years later, they welcomed a baby girl in November 2022. For the unversed, Devi was diagnosed with a ventricular septal defect (VSD), a condition characterised by holes in the heart. At just three months old, she underwent open-heart surgery to repair the defect. Her parents have often spoken about how bravely Devi fought at the hospital. Regarding her professional life, Bipasha has been away from acting for quite some time. Her last appearance was in the 2020 crime thriller miniseries, Dangerous, which premiered on the OTT platform MX Player. Directed by Bhushan Patel, the show also starred Karan Singh Grover, Sonali Raut, and Suyyash Rai in key roles. Her last film appearance was in the 2015 horror film Alone, where she played a dual role. Discussing her potential return to the entertainment industry, she told ETimes, 'I went against the tide always. And it's always worked for me. So, I do believe that you have to live your life. The work and your life have to kind of be in balance. Mine is not right now. It's my baby, my baby, my baby. But it is going to come. I think it is the right time. I will do it."
Refinery29
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Refinery29
Why Tanning Feels So Complicated For South Asian Women Like Me
Welcome to Sun Blocked, Refinery29's global call to action to wake up to the serious dangers of tanning. No lectures or shaming, we promise. Instead, our goal is to arm you with the facts you need to protect your skin to the best of your ability, because there's no such thing as safe sun. Six weeks of summer break now feel like a distant memory. Blink and suddenly your free time is rationed out in annual leave days. Back then, summer followed a familiar pattern: in between playing Snake on my mum's brick phone and reading my latest library book, I'd wait patiently for the first kid on our quiet street to knock on my door with the simple question: 'Do you want to play out? ' This usually meant transforming our empty driveways into makeshift cricket pitches, with green wheelie bins expertly placed as wickets, before taking turns to whack a tennis ball as far as we could. Hours in the sun inevitably left me with a tan, the mark of an enjoyable summer. But not everybody saw my tan as a badge of honour like I did. One day, I walked back into my house after a fun-filled afternoon, ready to relay tales of my (largely fabricated) sporting triumphs. Instead, my aunt led the conversation. She was in total shock — actually, disgust — at my darker skin tone, and scolded my mum for allowing me to play in the sun all summer. 'You look dark just like that Bipasha,' she said with disapproval. She was referring to Bipasha Basu, a prominent Bollywood actress, who was heavily criticised throughout her career thanks to her darker skin. Basu was relentlessly picked apart for not being 'fair and lovely' — a beauty standard thrust on South Asian women. As such, even her acting talent was called into question. The message from then on was clear: dark skin was not pretty. Why is tanned skin still taboo among South Asians? For South Asians, this is a deeply entrenched belief. Historically, darker skin has been associated with lower status, especially among outdoor labourers who spent significant time in the sun. Meanwhile, lighter skin was often considered the ultimate mark of privilege, wealth and a higher social standing. But fast forward to 2025, and this deep-rooted stigma is still pervasive among darker-skinned South Asians today. Being teased and likened to Basu was a regular occurrence during my childhood, and it was confusing. After all, Basu was beautiful; she was a Bollywood star for goodness' sake. So why were our similar skin tones such a bad thing? And why was it acknowledged with so much overt distaste? While it felt conflicting, I saw no appeal in hiding away from the sun just to stay fair. I didn't recognise it then, but I'd later realise that this was colourism rearing its ugly head. I'm certainly not the only one who's been side-eyed — or openly shamed — for enjoying some sun. In fact, this tension is commonplace in South Asian families. Bhavi*, who was 25 at the time, recalls returning from a beach holiday feeling herself. She'd attained a 'nice glow', but her family didn't take the same view. They were worried she would look 'too dark' for an upcoming wedding and Bhavi tells me that she was strongly encouraged to use tan remover to ensure she looked good in her sari. After this incident, not to mention a string of similar experiences that followed, tanning now has a derogatory connotation for Bhavi. Even if somebody genuinely compliments her tan, it still feels like a criticism: 'I automatically take it as a negative thing,' she says. ' I think it's time to let go of the myth that melanin is some type of super shield — or worse, something to fear or be ashamed of. ' Why are so many South Asians reluctant to wear sunscreen? South Asian beauty standards have long dictated the 'right' skin tone, among other ideals such as clear skin and thinness. This has inevitably shaped our complex relationships with tanning — and inadvertently sun protection, too. Colourism and outdated beauty ideals also shape how — and if — South Asian women use sun protection. Sunscreen is rarely used for skin health, but rather to appease internalised fears of becoming 'too dark'. In some cases, sunscreen is avoided altogether — and there is evidence to support this. According to a 2024 study in the Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, one-third of South Asian American respondents reported being more concerned about the prevention of tanning over skin cancer. This makes sense, given that sun protection advice for South Asians tends to be limited to: 'Don't get too dark, otherwise nobody will marry you.' In a similar vein, a 2025 study showed that 41% of surveyed South Asian adults said they skip sunscreen due to 'low perceived risk' of sun damage. This goes to show just how little the benefits of wearing sunscreen are discussed in South Asian households, let alone taken seriously. It is unsurprising, then, that many South Asian women tell me they began their SPF journeys much later in life. Riya*, who is 43 next month, admits that she only started using sunscreen three years ago. It wasn't a dermatologist or a skincare influencer that got through to her, but her 13-year-old daughter, who Riya says is 'constantly schooling' her on the topic: 'I genuinely never knew how much of a concern [sun damage] was,' she says, grateful to her daughter for pushing the subject. This is particularly heartening because, speaking from experience, getting a South Asian to change their viewpoint is no small feat. As a community, we are undeniably stuck in our ways, so Riya's story is a reminder that the next generation of South Asians can be better informed and break the cycle. Similarly, Meena*, 47, rarely used sun protection growing up, but began to take it more seriously in the last ten years. This became even more pressing after a recent health scare. Meena had a basal cell carcinoma — the most common type of skin cancer, usually caused by sun exposure — removed earlier this year. 'I never thought I could get skin cancer,' Meena tells me. She was surprised to learn from her doctor that it was not down to new sun exposure, but rather the result of several years of UV exposure over time. Reflecting on South Asian attitudes around sunscreen, Meena points out: 'Darker-skinned communities don't really think about [skin cancer] as they've lived without sun protection for generations, so it's pretty standard to not use any.' Is it time for South Asians to rethink our approach to sun protection? If there was ever a time for South Asians to rethink their relationship with sun protection, it's now. Meena's story tracks with what consultant dermatologist Dr Angela Tewari is seeing in the clinic. She tells me that skin cancer statistics and the demographics it affects have shifted since COVID: 'The number of early melanomas, basal cell carcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas is increasing,' she explains. There's data to support Dr Tewari's anecdotal evidence. Skin cancer cases are on the rise and the projected numbers for 2025 are sobering. According to Melanoma UK, 19,513 people will be diagnosed with melanoma this year. In the US, the Skin Cancer Foundation estimates 212,000 new cases and 8,430 related deaths. While there is less data on skin cancer rates among South Asians, the risk is still very real and stories like Meena's are a stark reminder of the price of dismissing sun care. This is especially important given the longstanding myths that 'brown people can't get skin cancer' or 'brown people can't burn'. I have personally shown the latter to be false. These beliefs clearly still hold a lot of weight in South Asian communities; nearly half of the surveyed South Asian Americans in the aforementioned 2024 study believe they are not at risk of skin cancer. London-based consultant dermatologist Dr Shaaira Nasir wants to dispel the falsehood that South Asians are somehow immune to skin cancer: 'Even though melanin provides some protection against the sun's harmful rays, as [South] Asians we still need to protect our skin by using sunscreen,' she explains. She adds that sun exposure is cumulative and causes around 80% of our skin ageing. So where do you even start with sun protection? Dr Shaaira recommends a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 to 50. 'It's worth investing in a tinted mineral sunscreen (containing zinc or titanium oxide) that will protect against both UV and visible light,' she adds. It sounds simple enough, but for many South Asian women, finding the right sunscreen is anything but. Many sunscreens on the market are guilty of leaving a lingering white cast, which may be another reason why sunscreen is often skipped. Of course, some products don't leave the cast of shame, but they're not always easy on the wallet. What the industry needs is innovative sun protection with brown skin tones in mind, as well as accessible price points. Dr Tewari agrees that increased melanin is nowhere near enough protection on its own. Even more concerningly, she sees many South Asian patients with darker skin tones who are often worried about skin issues like hyperpigmentation — worsened by sun exposure — but far fewer who are considering the risk of skin cancer. To bridge this disconnect, Dr Tewari is keen to see South Asians not only protect their skin but also celebrate their skin colour regardless of the shade. 'We all need to love and accept our skin tone,' she says, adding, 'My patients of colour probably don't appreciate how lucky they are to have a beautiful darker skin tone.' But the narrow goal of fair skin often means that we can't see past the cultural constraints and aren't thinking of the bigger picture when it comes to sun protection. I think it's time to let go of the myth that melanin is some type of super shield — or worse, something to fear or be ashamed of. Our melanin makes us beautiful, yes, but it doesn't make us invincible. We also don't need to hide from the sun (despite what the whispers of cultural stigma might have you believe), but rather rewrite what sun protection looks like for us, with daily SPF and regular skin checks (perhaps even mole mapping) as part of that routine. More crucially, we need a shift in the cultural conversation around sun care. There is an undeniable knowledge gap around this in South Asian communities, stemming partly from ignorance and generational beliefs. But as Meena's 'eye-opening' skin cancer experience shows, it has never been more important for South Asians to educate themselves, not just for their own sake but for future generations.
NDTV
13-07-2025
- NDTV
"It's Been 6 Days": Missing 19-Year-Old's Family Alleges Police Inaction
Najeeb Ahmed, a 27-year-old student at Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi, went missing in 2016. He has not been found till date. Cut to 2025, Sneha Debnath, a 19-year-old student of Delhi University, has been missing for six days. Ms Debnath is a student at Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College. Her family, originally from Tripura, has been staying in Delhi for many years. On July 7, she went to drop a friend at the Sarai Rohilla railway station. A cab driver dropped Sneha near Signature Bridge, but after some time, her mobile was switched off. She has been missing since. An alleged "suicide note" has been found from the student's room in Delhi, which says she had decided to "end my life" by jumping from the Signature Bridge. Bipasha Debnath, her sister, said the letter is just "crisp four lines". "I mean, a suicide letter can't be of four lines, right? It doesn't make sense at all. If you read the letter, there's no clue as to why she was depressed, what was happening, nothing. It's just crisp four lines. And the location was mentioned there, Signature Bridge," the 24-year-old sister of Sneha told NDTV. The elder sister pointed out that Sneha was brilliant at studies, but she was very young in years and someone may have manipulated her. "Very, very specifically, the location was mentioned. If she wanted to die, there are a lot of ways to do it at home, nearby. You don't have to go all the way to a place where 60 cameras are not working. It does show something, right? It could be somebody has told her, somebody could have, you know, manipulated her. She's just 19. She could be an overachiever. She's smart. At the end of the day, she's just 19 years old," said the elder sister, with her mother and a cousin standing next to her outside the Mehrauli police station. Distressed by the apathy of the cops, Bipasha further said she has been running from one place to the other and is being told "magic doesn't happen in a day". "I am alone. I have to look after my parents...I am running from this place to that place to third place to fourth place. And everywhere I go, I hear the same thing. The magic doesn't happen in one day. It's been six days," she said. "What are you looking for? What are you getting? You don't even have an assigned unit till now. My investigating officer should have time to look into the case. I am not blaming him. He is the most sensible officer. He is not getting the time to investigate. He is so busy with other work," the sister lamented. Asked about the response she got from the cops when she told them about the alleged note, Bipasha said they dismissed it as a "made-up thing". "You are not getting a body... So what is it, sir? Even if she is a runaway, she must have made calls to 10 different people, right? You check it. You are not getting anything from there as well. We have given you the Macbook. It's been six days. You are not able to open the Macbook. You have the cyber unit. You have the forensic unit. And it's the national capital. Kids hack Instagram these days. Are you even coordinating with your team? I feel like we are doing more work," she said. "How will you know? Your CCTV camera is not working. You can't do anything. You can't get a call record. You can't open your MacBook," said Bipasha, who has been making the rounds of the police station. Delhi Police and a team from the National Disaster Response Force of NDRF are conducting search operation in the Yamuna for the missing student. Sneha's mother, Pinki Debnath, too has rejected the claims that her daughter was "depressed" or reserved. "She was not sad at all. She was with me all the time. She used to joke with me all day. She would say, 'Mom, you are so short,'" her mother said. Pinki Debanth said all she wants is to be with her daughter. "My daughter should be found from anywhere. I don't want anything else. I just want my daughter," she said, fighting back tears.
India Gazette
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- India Gazette
"Memes and trolls do not define me...": Bipasha Basu claps back at trolls fat-shaming her post-childbirth
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 14 (ANI): Actress Bipasha Basu has recently hit back at online trolls who criticised her weight gain after childbirth, making it clear that their hurtful remarks and memes do not define her or her worth. The actor, who gave birth to her first child in November 2022, shared her thoughts in a strong Instagram response, addressing the body-shaming and unrealistic expectations faced by women after becoming mothers. Bipasha responded to a viral Instagram reel that focused on her post-partum appearance. The reel juxtaposed images of the actor from earlier years with more recent photos, accompanied by the song 'Night Changes,' seemingly emphasising her physical transformation. The post quickly gained attention, with several users commenting on her weight gain. In her reply, Bipasha made it clear that the memes and trolls had no impact on her sense of self. 'Thank you for your clear words... Hope the human race does not remain so shallow and so low forever... and they encourage and applaud women for the million roles they play each day,' she wrote in the comment section of the post. 'I am a super confident woman with a very evolved loving partner and family. Memes and trolls do not define me ever... nor did they make me who I am. But these are deeply disturbing reflections of the society towards women,' she emphasised. The actress added that such body-shaming behaviour could deeply affect others. 'Another woman in my place could be deeply affected and scarred with the viciousness,' she noted, shedding light on the often unspoken pressures women face, especially after childbirth. Bipasha's words were also backed by former Miss India and beauty influencer, Shweta Vijay Nair, who took to Instagram to address the unrealistic standards placed on women, particularly mothers. Bipasha's response to Nair's reel resonated with many women, especially those who feel the weight of societal expectations. 'Anyways if we have more strong voices and at least women understanding and applauding women for who they are, then women will rise higher and higher :) We are unstoppable ladies,' Bipasha added in her comments. Bipasha's husband, actor Karan Singh Grover, also posted a message of support on Instagram. 'We should be putting all the women we know and love on a pedestal and praying to them. They are the gods/goddesses we should pray to,' he said, adding, 'Nothing else could have created something as beautiful as life.' The couple's journey into parenthood began on November 12, 2022, when they welcomed their daughter, Devi Basu Singh Grover. Bipasha has since focused on her new role as a mother, dedicating her time to raising Devi. (ANI)
Mint
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Mint
Bipasha Basu reacts to memes on weight gain after having daughter Devi: ‘They don't make me who I am'
Bollywood actor Bipasha Basu recently spoke out firmly against online trolls who have been body-shaming her for her post-partum look. Establishing that memes and trolls don't define her, she sent out a strong message. Advertisement Bipasha Basu reacts to trolls and memes attacking her Bipasha took to her Instagram account and reacted to an online debate around her weight gain after having her daughter Devi. Taking to the comment section of a reel which talked about unfair expectations from women with pictures of her before and after childbirth, the actor slammed trolls. The reel emphasised changes in a woman's body using Bipasha's pictures. The One Director's song Night Changes was added to the video. It was re-shared by former Miss India, Shweta Vijay Nair. She mentioned how women often face unrealistic expectations after becoming a mother. She also highlighted the emotional and physical troubles that mothers endure. The caption of the video read: 'Maybe enough is enough!' Advertisement Watch video here: Reacting to the subject, Bipasha wrote in the comment section, 'Thank you for your clear words... Hope the human race does not remain so shallow and so low forever… and they encourage and applaud women for the million roles they play each day.' Advertisement She further added, 'I am a super confident woman with a very evolved loving partner and family. Memes and trolls do not define me ever… nor did they make me who I am. But these are deeply disturbing reflections of the society towards women. Another woman in my place could be deeply affected and scarred with the viciousness'. 'Anyways if we have more strong voices and atleast women understanding and applauding women for who they are then women will rise higher and higher :) We are unstoppable ladies,' Bipasha concluded. Karan Singh Grover reacts Not just Bipasha, but her husband, actor Karan Singh Grover also reacted to the post. Agreeing to the conversation, he added in the comments, 'Thank you for being so awesome.' Advertisement Bhumi Pednekar also reacted to the post. Bipasha's family Bipasha met Karan Singh Grover on the set of Alone in 2014. They fell in love and got married on 30 April 2016. They had their daughter, Devi Basu Singh Grover on November 12, 2022. On the work front, Bipasha Basu was last seen in the 2020 web series Dangerous. She is yet to announce her upcoming film or OTT project after becoming a mother.
