Opinion: Can we stop asking if Alia Bhatt is pregnant? Let’s talk about her body of work, not her womb

Dubai: Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt walked the red carpet at Cannes 2025 looking radiant, poised, and every bit the global star she has grown into.

But instead of focusing on her accomplishments or her much-hyped collaboration with Sanjay Leela Bhansali for Love & War, the online chatter zeroed in on a visible curve in her midsection. Within minutes, the question was everywhere: “Is she pregnant again?”

This knee-jerk obsession with a woman’s body—particularly her stomach—is reductive, invasive, and frankly, exhausting. A slight pooch becomes breaking news. A loose silhouette becomes a clue. And suddenly, her creative achievements take a backseat to baseless pregnancy rumours fueled by grainy screenshots and wild speculation on Reddit and Instagram.

It’s 2025. How is this still happening?

This isn't just about Alia Bhatt. Hollywood A-listers like Jennifer Aniston have spoken up against this exact culture. In a powerful 2016 op-ed for The Huffington Post, Aniston wrote, “For the record, I am not pregnant. What I am is fed up.” She nailed it then, and it still holds true today.

The constant policing of women’s bodies—especially public figures—sends a dangerous message: no matter how successful, talented, or intelligent you are, society will still reduce you to whether or not you look “fertile.” Whether you’re carrying a baby, carrying weight, or simply bloated, it’s all fair game for speculation.

Why does a woman’s worth still hinge on motherhood, or the perceived potential of it? When male actors gain weight for roles or age naturally, they’re praised for their dedication or maturity. When women do the same—or simply exist in their bodies—they’re hounded by whispers of pregnancy or assumptions of personal crisis.

It needs to stop.

Let’s shift the conversation. Let’s talk about Alia Bhatt’s choice to collaborate with Bhansali again, the narrative power of Love & War, or her remarkable trajectory from teen icon to global ambassador. Let’s celebrate her artistry, not interrogate her anatomy.

Actors are not walking wombs. They are storytellers. Let’s critique their body of work, not their bodies.