Actress Raveena Tandon has publicly hit out at social media users who trolled Aishwarya Rai Bachchan after an international red carpet appearance, calling the online criticism completely wrong and disappointing. Raveena said judging any artist's achievements on the basis of their clothes or age reflects a deeply flawed mindset in society, one that has become far too common in the age of social media.
The Cannes gown that sparked the backlash
The controversy traces back to Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's appearance at the Cannes Film Festival this May, where she walked the red carpet in a blue gown designed by Amit Aggarwal. The look drew widespread attention at the time and made headlines across the media. But once photos and videos from the festival began circulating on social media, Aishwarya found herself at the receiving end of heavy online trolling, with comments targeting her age, her look and her outfit choice, keeping the issue trending for days afterward.
Raveena Tandon's sharp response
Reacting to the trolling, Raveena Tandon said it was unfortunate and thoroughly regrettable. She said repeatedly trolling a woman over her aging, her weight or her clothing has become a wrong trend within online culture. Describing Aishwarya Rai Bachchan as a personality with global recognition, Raveena said reducing her to such judgments amounts to undervaluing her contribution and stature.
She added that Aishwarya is a global icon who has represented the country with dignity and grace on international platforms for decades, and that judging a woman of her stature, achievements and intelligence purely on the basis of a bad camera angle or an experimental outfit is deeply unfortunate.
Calling out the double standard around aging
Raveena Tandon linked the episode to a wider double standard in society, where male and female actors are viewed through very different lenses. She said it reflects an everyday double standard in society, audiences expect actresses to always look exactly as they did twenty years ago, while male actors are given complete freedom to age, change and move forward in their careers without facing similar scrutiny. Raveena also stressed that women in the industry will keep facing such comments until society learns to change this unequal outlook toward ageing and appearance.
Raveena's own film also in the spotlight
Alongside her comments in support of Aishwarya, Raveena Tandon has also been in the news for her own work. Her recent film Welcome To The Jungle has received a good response from audiences, keeping her firmly in the spotlight this season.
