A recent 'Bigg Boss' media interaction resulted in contestant Gaurav Khanna defending his wife's decision to remain child-free. But how and why was this question raised, and since when is a woman's body anyone's business?
Just like every year, this year’s ‘Bigg Boss’ is also filled with drama and chaos. The season is drawing to an end, and with only a few days left for the finale, the atmosphere inside the house has become serious. And as tradition goes, the media interaction round is all set to air.
In the media interaction, many reporters asked the top 6 contestants, including Gaurav Khanna, Pranit More, Malti Chahar, Farhana Bhatt, Tanya Mittal and Amaal Mallik about their journey in the house. One of the questions that has stirred a controversy was directed towards Gaurav.
In a 'Bigg Boss' promo for the upcoming episode that is doing the rounds on social media, a journalist asked Gaurav if he was trying to seek sympathy by asking the astrologer about having children, despite him and his wife already deciding not to have kids.
In the promo, Gaurav says, “Sabse pehle toh main ye bolna chahta hoon, I love kids. Aur maine jab shaadi ki thi, tab main ye tahe dil se chahta tha ke mere bacche ho. Aaj ke zamane mein badey aise kum mard hain, joh apni biwi se itna pyaar karte hain, ke woh apni dil ki choice ko maar sake. [First of all, I want to say that I love kids. And when I got married, I genuinely wanted to have children. In today's time, there are very few men who love their wives so much that they are willing to set aside their own wishes for them.]”
Later in the video, Farhana Bhatt asks Gaurav why he became emotional during the press conference. Gaurav responds, “Why did you feel hurt when the astrologer told you certain things about your dad?” Farhana replies, “Because I do not want anyone to talk about him.” Gaurav then says, “Exactly, even I do not want anyone to talk about my wife, I have come here not my wife.”
During Akanksha’s time on the show, Gaurav's wife explained that she had decided not to have children anytime soon.
While chatting with Malti Chahar and Praneet More, Akanksha said, "Future mein bhi mujhe difficult lag raha hai. Mujhe nahi aa raha hai andar se, I don't feel the need to have a kid. Mere bohot saare reasons hain aur mujhe lagta hai jab aap itne saare reasons dhoondte ho, then you are not ready. [Even the future seems difficult to me. I am not getting it from within, I don't feel the need to have a kid. I have many reasons and I feel that when you find so many reasons, then you are not ready.]
She added, "I am not scared of it. Baccha paida karna halwa banana nahi hota hai. Bohot badi responsibility hai. Mujhe nahi lagta hai main woh job ko utne achchhe se justify kar sakti hoon - at this age, at any age. Mujhe apna career banana hai, mere ambitions hain bohot saare, ab log usko selfish bole. [Having a child is not a cakewalk. It is a huge responsibility. I don't think I can justify that job - at this age, at any age. I want to make my career, I have a lot of ambitions, now people call it selfish.]"
Akanksha has simply been honest about not feeling ready, and has clearly put thought into how much work it is to raise a child. But even if she hadn't had logical reasons for not wanting to have children, the backlash raises a bigger point: why is a woman’s body or her choice still up for public debate? Why do we keep treating a woman's body as everyone’s business but her own?
