Nobody cares: Bipasha Basu calls out cruel 'bounce back' culture after childbirth

Actor Bipasha Basu has called out the unforgiving “bounce back” culture surrounding women after childbirth, recalling the “major, major trolling” she faced after welcoming her daughter, Devi, in 2022. In an interview, the 47-year-old actor said a few insensitive paparazzi photographs quickly turned into scrutiny of her post-pregnancy body, exposing the pressure on women to return to their old shape even as they navigate motherhood, changing bodies and an entirely new phase of life.In an interview with Elle India, Bipasha said the expectation is particularly unfair because women are often judged against the bodies they had in their twenties, even when they are in their forties.“The conversation around women’s bodies is quite bizarre even now. Magically, when you give birth, you are supposed to get back into the shape of your twenties even when you are in your forties,” she said.Bipasha added that women are expected to “bounce back” almost immediately after having a baby. If they do not, she said, the trolling can become brutal. “I went through major, major trolling. A few insensitive paps took really bizarre pictures of me,” Bipasha recalled. She said people rarely consider what a new mother is dealing with, from caring for her baby and managing her lifestyle to dealing with her own personal pressures.“They don’t see how much effort the woman must be putting in, how much they have to do with a baby, with their life, with their lifestyle and also their personal pressures. Nobody really cares. Everybody expects you to bounce back,” she said. Despite the criticism, Bipasha said the trolling did not shake her confidence. The actor, who has maintained a strong focus on fitness over the years, said she knows her own journey and does not allow outside opinions to dictate it.“I’m an extremely confident person, so no kind of trolling can break me,” she said. “I know what my journey is, I know what work I need to put in, when I need to put it in, and I will go with that. Outside noise does not really matter.”All about Bipasha Basu-Karan Singh GroverBipasha welcomed Devi with actor Karan Singh Grover on November 12, 2022. Since becoming a mother, she has often shared glimpses of their family life and moments with her daughter on social media.The actor and Karan first met while working on Alone in 2015. Their professional association soon turned into a relationship, and the two married in April 2016 after dating for nearly a year. They welcomed Devi six years later.Bipasha has also been vocal about fitness and health, particularly when it comes to women. Her own experience after pregnancy, she said, has made the pressure around women’s bodies even more apparent.On the work front, Bipasha was last seen alongside Karan in the web series Dangerous. The Vikram Bhatt-written series, directed by Bhushan Patel, marked her OTT debut and also featured Sonali Raut, Natasha Suri, Suyyash Rai and Nitin Arora. It is available to stream on MX Player.- EndsPublished On: Sep 5, 2026 20:26 IST