By Soumya Srivastava
Hindustan Times, New Delhi
WWR Article Summary (tl;dr) I was so deeply touched by actor Amitabh Bachchan’s letter to his two granddaughters. One of my favorite lines, “Don’t live in the shadows of people’s judgement. Make your own choices in the light of your own wisdom.” A MUST READ!
Hindustan Times, New Delhi
Being a woman in this big, bad world is not easy and Amitabh Bachchan knows it.
Maybe that is why he has written such a heartfelt letter to his granddaughters, Navya and Aradhya.
The Bollywood megastar wrote a very personal and inspirational letter to the girls in which he tells them to make their own choices and not worry about what the world will think or who they should get married to.
He tells Navya, 18 that even her big surname will not protect her from the difficulties that come with being a woman while he ominously tells Aaradhya, 4 that he may not even be there by the time she is old enough to understand this letter.
The letter may be addressed to his granddaughters, but surely any girl can benefit from it and be motivated by his wise words.
But what made Amitabh Bachchan write these letters in the first place? Well, we can only guess, but we think it has something to do with his upcoming movie, Pink. The movie is a courtroom drama, also starring Taapsee Panu which tells the story of three girls caught in a patriarchal society that blames women for all things wrong that happen to them.
Read the entire text:
My very dearest Navya and Aaradhya,
You both carry a very valuable legacy on your tender shoulders — Aaradhya, the legacy of your pardadaji, Dr Harivansh Rai Bachchan… and Navya, the legacy of your pardadaji, Shri HP Nanda
Both your pardadajis gave your present surnames celebrated fame, dignity and recognition. Both of you may be a Nanda or a Bachchan, but you are also girls… women.
And because you are women people, will force their thinking, their boundaries on you. They will tell you how to dress, how to behave, who you can meet and where you can go.
Don’t live in the shadows of people’s judgement. Make your own choices in the light of your own wisdom. Don’t let anyone make you believe that the length of your skirt is a measure of your character. Don’t let anyone’s opinion of who you should be friends with, dictate who you will be friends with. Don’t get married for any other reason other than you want to get married.
People will talk. They shall say some terrible things. But that doesn’t mean you have to listen to everyone. Never ever worry about — log kya kahenge
At the end of the day, you are the only one who will face the consequences of your actions, so don’t let other people make your decisions for you.
Navya — the privilege your name, your surname offers you, will not protect you from the difficulties you will face because you’re a woman.
Aaradhya — by the time you see and understand this, I may well not be around. But I think what I am saying today shall still be relevant.
This may be a difficult, difficult world to be a woman. But I believe that it is women like you that will change that. It may not be easy, setting your own boundaries, making your own choices, rising above people’s judgement. But you, you can set an example for women everywhere.
Do this and you would have done more than I have ever done, and it will be my honour to be known not as Amitabh Bachchan, but as your grandfather.
