Ileana D’Cruz says ‘I would not be okay’ on paparazzi photographing her children

Actor Ileana D’Cruz has made it clear she would not allow her children to be photographed in India. The actress, who is now based in Texas with her husband Michael Dolan, said she finds the idea of exposing her kids to paparazzi “confusing” and “unfair.”

Ileana, who made her Bollywood debut in Anurag Basu’s Barfi! (2012) alongside Ranbir Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra, has enjoyed a successful career in both Hindi and Telugu cinema. While she stepped away from the relentless Mumbai spotlight in recent years, she has continued to act. Her latest release, Do Aur Do Pyaar (2024), featured her with Vidya Balan, Pratik Gandhi and Sendhil Ramamurthy.

In an interview with NDTV, Ileana opened up about why she would draw a line when it comes to her children. “It would definitely have been hard for me to be photographed with my babies. It would just be incredibly confusing for them. And it’s not fair to them because they wouldn’t understand what is going on. I would not be okay with it,” she said.

Her concern is that children, especially at such a young age, cannot comprehend why strangers would follow and click pictures of them. The intrusion, she fears, could disrupt their sense of normal life.

At the same time, Ileana acknowledged that she has had respectful interactions with the Mumbai paparazzi. “I’ve had a good relationship with the paps in Bombay, and every time I have told them, ‘Listen, I’m not comfortable, please don’t take a picture,’ they’ve actually respected my wishes. So if it were to come to that, I think they would understand not to take pictures of the babies,” she explained.

Ileana married Michael Dolan in 2023 in a private ceremony. The couple welcomed their first son, Koa Phoenix Dolan, in August the same year. On June 19, 2025, they became parents again with the birth of their second son, Keanu Rafe Dolan.

For Ileana, once known for her glamorous red-carpet appearances, priorities have shifted. She is embracing motherhood while balancing selective film projects. Protecting her children from the pressures of celebrity life, however, remains non-negotiable.