In an industry built on visibility, a quiet revolution is unfolding—led not by headlines, but by hush. As Bollywood stars step into parenthood, many are choosing to rewrite the rules that once came with fame. The red carpets and camera flashes remain, but increasingly, they’re drawing a firm line when it comes to their children. From private introductions to gentle yet firm requests for privacy, today’s celebrity parents are reclaiming the right to raise their kids away from the constant gaze of the public eye.Voices of a New Parenting EraOn December 23, 2024, Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh hosted a private meet-and-greet in their Prabhadevi clubhouse to introduce baby Dua Padukone Singh to select paparazzi—asking them explicitly not to take any photos of their daughter until they chose otherwise. As paparazzi Pallav Paliwal recalled, “They asked us to keep the noise down… requested us not to click or publish Dua’s photographs until they are ready”. They even passed out sweets and paused phone cameras, signaling gratitude and firm boundaries—an intimate gesture underscoring their priority: preserving their daughter’s privacy.
In January 2023, Alia and Ranbir staged a quiet meet‑and‑greet with Mumbai paparazzi. Alia requested, “please don’t photograph our daughter Raha for now,” and Ranbir even shared her picture on his phone as a goodwill gesture—with a promise: “at the right age and time, they’ll allow to click pictures of our little munchkin”. In April 2023, Alia opened up: “We don’t even want to post her pictures on social media… I genuinely don’t think that a baby needs to be a public personality.”
Fast forward to March 2025—after Saif Ali Khan survived a home attack—Kareena Kapoor quietly told paps at her father’s birthday, “Mera photos leke aap log please chale jaao. Bachchon ka bola tha” (“You may take my photos—but leave the children alone”).
Relocation as Reinforcement, Not the CoreWhile many celebrity parents assert their children’s privacy within India, some—most notably Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli—have taken an additional step by relocating abroad. Their move to London in 2024 was not a retreat but a reinforcement of the boundaries they had already established. The city offers a significantly calmer environment, with more restrained paparazzi behaviour compared to Mumbai’s often overwhelming media presence. Moreover, the UK’s stricter privacy laws and well-defined press regulations provide a legal framework that supports their parenting choices.
In London, the family is able to enjoy simple everyday moments—like strolls in the park or visits to cafés—without being under constant scrutiny. However, it’s worth noting that relocating abroad is more of a supportive measure than a primary solution. At the heart of it all remains clear communication, mutual respect with the media, and a steadfast commitment to protecting their children’s right to a private, undisturbed upbringing.Anushka recently told Vogue, “We’ve thought about it a lot. We definitely do not want to raise a child in the public eye—we don’t plan on engaging our child in social media. I think it’s a decision your child should be able to take. No kid should be made to be more special than the other. It’s hard enough for adults to deal with it. It’s going to be difficult, but we intend to follow through.”
These deliberate privacy choices have allowed celebrity parents to nurture a more grounded and balanced upbringing for their children. At airports, for instance, baby Dua is shielded from the chaos of flashing cameras—thanks to Ranveer Singh’s calm yet firm requests for space. In public settings too, whether it’s a casual stroll through Mumbai’s quieter lanes, time spent at a countryside retreat, or intimate birthday celebrations, these families are able to create memories without the backdrop of a media frenzy.Surveen Chawla and Rani Mukerji on Choosing PrivacyTalking about keeping her daughter Eva away from the public eye, Surveen Chawla told ETimes, “Well, my daughter Eva is not in the public eye, and I choose to do that for obvious reasons—I’d like to keep that private. She’s honestly pretty clueless about the impact, as a public figure, I would have on people around—good or bad. She doesn’t understand the concept of being a public figure or a celebrity, so she just knows I go to work. Sometimes she sees my work—parts of it—that are age-appropriate, and I tell her that. So far, she’s not really questioned me. She considers it to be just my work, and I’d like to normalize that.”
She added, “The fame and the fortune that come with it are for us to experience and have nothing to do with my child. Neither has she earned it, nor does she really need to know the perils that come with it. So yeah, I try to keep her away. I don’t post about her. I must have done that initially, but then sense prevailed, and I’ve chosen to keep my private life—especially my child—extremely private and all to myself.”Rani Mukerji, known for her powerful on-screen presence and versatility, has always been just as intentional in her personal life. After marrying filmmaker Aditya Chopra in 2014, the couple welcomed their daughter, Adira, in 2015. Since then, they’ve remained steadfast in their decision to keep her out of the public eye. Speaking to Pinkvilla about the pressure of constant media attention on star kids, Rani explained, “Adi and I were both very clear that Adira should have a normal childhood—and that’s only possible if the spotlight isn’t constantly on her.“Why Privacy is the PriorityAt the heart of this growing wave of discretion is the belief that children deserve agency and consent—fundamental rights that extend to their public image. By choosing not to expose their kids to constant media attention, celebrity parents are giving them the freedom to grow up without the pressure of premature public scrutiny. It’s a way of buying time—allowing children to decide for themselves, when they’re ready, how much of their lives they want to share.This shift also reflects a broader cultural transformation. Bollywood, long synonymous with high visibility and spectacle, is now slowly embracing a more measured, family-first approach. This evolution is being shaped not only by protective parents, but also by a growing number of media professionals who are beginning to respect these boundaries. In a space where fame was once inherited, privacy is becoming a conscious legacy.A Quiet Legacy in the MakingBy prioritizing their children’s emotional well-being over media moments, these actors are carving out a new kind of legacy—one where privacy is not a privilege, but a right. In doing so, they aren’t just setting a precedent within the film industry; they’re nudging society toward a gentler, more respectful relationship with fame, family, and the stories we choose to tell.
