Ever since Bollywood actress Dia Mirza announced that she is expecting her first child with husband businessman Vaibhav Rekhi, many fellow celebrities and netizens have been overjoyed and showered the happy couple with congratulatory messages.
However, there have been some on social media who have been having a go at her for getting pregnant before marriage, a practice still frowned upon in India.
Referring to her post in which Dia is displaying her baby bump, one user remarks: “Bollywood celebrities are in such a hurry to produce babies after marriage that they get married after getting pregnant.”
Another said: “Dia Mirza got married in February and now her belly is like five months in pregnancy. What sort of example are Bollywood actresses such as Dia Mirza, Neha Dhupia and Natasa Stankovic setting for Indian girls? That you should first get pregnant and then get married? (sic).”
However, Dia’s fans have rushed to the actress' defence and slammed the haters for judging her.
One wrote: “They are setting an example that you are allowed to do whatever if you want with your body,” and another commented: "So, what's the big deal... she doesn't have a judgemental society around her... she is in happy space."
“Not your uterus, not your business,” posted a third.
Dia's pregnancy has prompted a debate over falling pregnant before marriage in Indian society. Many netizens have said it is now about time the stigma was removed and it should be normalised.
“Dia tried to break the stereotype with woman priest, why shouldn’t she announce her pregnancy before marriage? Isn’t becoming pregnant after marriage a stereotype we follow? Why can’t women get pregnant before marriage?” one fan questioned.
Another commented: "Women can get pregnant before marriage - but in India, it's taboo if you do. That's why we need to start normalising it."
Meanwhile, on the work front, Dia - last seen in filmmaker Anubhav Sinha's film 'Thappad' (2020) - will be next seen in the Telugu language action-drama 'Wild Dog', starring Akkineni Nagarjuna and Saiyami Kher.