Edit/Op-Ed

‘Bahon Mein Chale Aao’ Actress Jaya Bachchan — No Problem with Granddaughter Navya Having a Child without a marriage!

 

Kabhi kabhi kuch toh kaho piya humse At times say something to me beloved
Ae kam se kam aaj toh khulke milo zara humse, hmm At least meet me today openly, alright
Kabhi kabhi kuch toh kaho piya humse At times say something to me beloved
Ae kam se kam aaj toh khulke milo zara humse At least meet me today openly
Hai raat apni joh tum ho apne The night is ours if you’re mine
Kisi ka phir humein dar kya We don’t have to fear anyone then
Shh shh shh shh shh Shh shh shh shh shh
Bahon mein chale aao Come in my arms
Ho humse sanam kya parda There’s no curtain between you and me

Speaking with her granddaughter Navya Naveli Nanda on her podcast —What The Hell, Navya?, the ‘Bahon mein Chale Aao’ actress Jaya Bachchan of the film Anamika (1973) fame declared that she does not have a problem if her granddaughter Navya Naveli Nanda has a child without a marriage! In other words, Jaya is comfortable with having a ‘Bastard’ in the Bachchan household. According to the Merriam – Webster Dictionary, a child born to parents ‘who are not married’ is a bastard. Though Jaya did not use the word bastard, she used it in the form of a meaning similar to the word. In Anamika, poor Sanjeev Kumar had a harrowing time protecting his bachelorhood from the red-hot Jaya, who ignited the silver screen. Long ago, Jaya’s husband Amitabh tried to woo Smita Patil with these lines:

Aisa Lagta Hai to, Lagne Mein Burai Nahi!

Aap Apni Hai, Paraayi Nahi! 

The angry old actress Jaya is infamous for her temper at the paparazzi but she has a mind of her own and she expresses herself freely. Jaya called the physical aspect ‘very very important.’ She opined that a relationship can’t last on ‘love, fresh air, and adjustment’. She boldly claimed that she doesn’t have a problem with her granddaughter Navya Naveli Nanda, daughter of Shweta Bachchan, having a ‘child without a marriage’. Jaya also lamented that during ‘our times we couldn’t experiment.’ She did not elaborate if she regretted marrying Amitabh Bachchan, who was notorious for having a roving eye and had almost deserted Jaya for Rekha, apart from allegedly destroying the life of ‘shan’ girl Parveen Babi. Perhaps, the Bengali Belle Jaya implied that if she was allowed, she would have also produced a child without marriage.

Jaya admitted that “People will find it objectionable coming from me but physical attraction and compatibility are also very important. In our times we couldn’t experiment but today the generation does and why shouldn’t they? Because that also is responsible for a long-lasting relationship. If there isn’t a physical relationship it’s not going to last very long. You can’t be lasting on love and fresh air and adjustment, I feel. It’s very, very important.”

“Sometimes it’s a pity but a lot of the younger lot, of course, we never could, we couldn’t even think about it but the younger generation even after me, Shweta’s generation, Navya’s is a different ballgame, but they would feel guilty going through that experience and I think it’s very wrong. It’s okay and then you do things on the sly. If you had a physical relationship and you feel that still, my relationship otherwise not worked out you can be nice about it,” Jaya analysed the generational switch in values.

Bollywood and ‘child without a marriage’ are inseparable! Rekha is allegedly a product of Shivaji Ganesan’s ‘out of wedlock rendezvous’! Neena Gupta designed her talented daughter Masaba after West Indies cricketer Vivian Richards crossed her boundary. Richards scored a Masaba in the process. Sarika allegedly produced a bastard too with Tamil heartthrob Kamalahasan. Deepika Padukone, Katrina Kaif, and many others painted Bollywood red with their live-in sagas and stopped short of producing bastards. To know about the aspiring ‘Neta’ Kangana Ranaut’s ‘gymnastics’ with Aditya Pancholi, call Pancholi’s wife Zarina Wahab, and get juicy details and also the financial costs incurred to get rid of the problem.

Do not jump at Jaya Bachchan for her explosive views. One may agree or may not agree with Jaya’s observations. Nobody has a right to abuse Jaya including the social media warriors, who are not politically aligned with her. There is no denying the fact that ‘Sanskari’ India has come a long way in what is considered ethically correct or otherwise. The judiciary is leading the way with live-in relationships being recognized by courts, adultery and prostitution are no longer punishable. Only soliciting for prostitution is a crime. The prostitutes can no longer be arrested. Producing a bastard or a strawberry is an individual choice.

It seems to be a free for all as far as ‘tasting the thunder between the thighs’ to borrow a phrase from my feminist discourse author Shobhaa De. Whatever way, marriage or otherwise, women want to be ‘Anmol’ or priceless as Dimple Kapadia expressed her gratefulness to Anil Kapoor in the film – Jaanbaaz after ‘action’ on the ‘Machaan’ with dry grass falling over them thus:

Dilbar Tujhse Milte Milte, Dilbar Tujhse Milte Milte

Main bhi Aurat ban Gayi, Ho Toone Mujhe Anmol Banaya


Main Mohabbat ban Gayi, Main Mohabbat ban Gayi!

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