India slams Aishwarya failing loose weight

How the 'most beautiful woman in the world' has been accused of betraying her country for failing to lose her baby weight

• Outrage sparked by photos showing Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who gave birth seven months ago, with double chin

• Fans say actress, 38, should lose weight fast 'like Victoria Beckham did'

By Deborah Arthurs

PUBLISHED: 16:47 GMT, 16 May 2012 | UPDATED: 20:12 GMT, 16 May 2012

She is a former Miss World, a successful Bollywood star and married to the son of one of India's best-loved star.

She found international fame in the Hollywood film Bride and Prejudice, and Julia Roberts billed her as the world's most beautiful woman.

Thanks to the notoriety such fame and fortune has brought her, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has become one of the most admired and revered women in India, and indeed the world. But such fame has come at a cost for the 38-year-old star.

Since the birth of her daughter in November last year, Aishwarya Rai has been open about the fact that she is in no hurry to lose the few extra pounds she gained during her pregnancy.

Letting her fans down? Former Miss World and Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has been lambasted by followers who suggest she should have lost her baby weight following the birth of her daughter

The model and actress, who won the Miss World title in 1994, defended her choice, saying she wanted simply to 'enjoy motherhood.'

But with the star, who married Abhishek Bachchan, the son of India's most loved film star Amitabh Bachnan in 2007, tipped for her 10th appearance at Cannes next week, furious speculation is mounting as to how she will look.

Commentators have been unkind, lambasting the star for letting her fans down.

Many have gone a step further, suggesting the star has a 'duty' to her fans to regain her pre-pregnancy figure.

One website posted a video of the star looking less than her usual svelte self, flicking between photographs of her pre-birth, and photos now.

Svelte: Aishwarya Rai at the Oscars last February when she was in the very early stages of her pregnancy, and at last year's Cannes Festival in May, six months before she gave birth to her daughter

Called 'Aishwarya Rai's shocking weight gain', the clip, which came accompanied by elephant sound effects, has been seen more than 500,000 times.

Dozens more videos in a similar vein have been posted, each with viewing figures in the tens or hundreds of thousands.

Comments left after the video prove that many of those watching have little sympathy for Aishwarya.

'She is a Bollywood actress and it is her duty to look good and fit,' one said. Another added: 'She needs to learn from people like Victoria Beckham who are back to size zero weeks after their delivery.'

It has opened up a debate in the country, and beyond, about the attitudes held towards women in the public eye.

Some unkind fans have compared Aishwarya to Victoria Beckham, saying she should lose weight as quickly as Ms Beckham did after her four pregnancies

'Aishwarya is like a goddess,' said showbusiness columnist Shobhaa D in the New York Daily News by way of explanation.

'She is held up as the ideal of beauty and so there is an expectation on her to look perfect at all times.'

'The most beautiful woman in the world': Aishwarya Rai won Miss World in 1994

'The role models being held up are Angelina Jolie and Victoria Beckham, but our body frames are different – we have wider hips and curves – so this whole business of looking desperately skinny two weeks after giving birth is a western import.'

Cinema professor Shohini Ghosh added that women in India were up against an almost impossible task.

'There is a glorification of motherhood in India and Indian cinema,' he told the paper. 'But people are confused because they don't know whether to glorify Aishwarya in her new motherhood or lament that she is not looking like a runway model.'

It's safe to say that far too many fall into the latter category, judging by the cruel comments flooding internet sites.

Some, however, have come out in defence of the star, saying that she, like any new mother, should be focusing on her infant, not her diet.

'She is a real women looking after a baby. We should be concern for her health and happiness especially if she is nursing the baby. Not the Western belief of expecting people in the spot light to lose all weight in month. If she? dieted what will happen to the baby's diet,' one said.

'That's because Aish is not one of those selfish ones who puts the focus on their bodies instead of their babies, which makes them moody and ineffective as parents,' another said. 'Kudos to you Aish for keeping it real and letting your baby have all the bonding and attention she needs with you. Enjoy your life.'

Originally posted by: DejaVu.

SB , Its already posted by Sanasoufi.

There are downsides to looking this pretty': Why women hate me for being beautiful

By Samantha Brick

PUBLISHED: 19:08 EST, 2 April 2012 | UPDATED: 09:10 EST, 5 April 2012

On a recent flight to New York, I was delighted when a stewardess came over and gave me a bottle of champagne.

'This is from the captain — he wants to welcome you on board and hopes you have a great flight today,' she explained.

You're probably thinking 'what a lovely surprise'. But while it was lovely, it wasn't a surprise. At least, not for me.

'Good looking woman': But Samantha Brick says that her pleasing looks have been a mixed blessing, with many of her own sex becoming resentful, and have closed as many doors as they have opened

Throughout my adult life, I've regularly had bottles of bubbly or wine sent to my restaurant table by men I don't know. Once, a well-dressed chap bought my train ticket when I was standing behind him in the queue, while there was another occasion when a charming gentleman paid my fare as I stepped out of a cab in Paris.

Another time, as I was walking through London's Portobello Road market, I was tapped on the shoulder and presented with a beautiful bunch of flowers. Even bar tenders frequently shoo my credit card away when I try to settle my bill.

And whenever I've asked what I've done to deserve such treatment, the donors of these gifts have always said the same thing: my pleasing appearance and pretty smile made their day.

While I'm no Elle Macpherson, I'm tall, slim, blonde and, so I'm often told, a good-looking woman. I know how lucky I am. But there are downsides to being pretty — the main one being that other women hate me for no other reason than my lovely looks.

If you're a woman reading this, I'd hazard that you've already formed your own opinion about me — and it won't be very flattering. For while many doors have been opened (literally) as a result of my looks, just as many have been metaphorically slammed in my face — and usually by my own sex.

I'm not smug and I'm no flirt, yet over the years I've been dropped by countless friends who felt threatened if I was merely in the presence of their other halves. If their partners dared to actually talk to me, a sudden chill would descend on the room.

Taken: Samantha with her French husband Pascal Rubinat. Ten years her senior, he takes great pride in hearing other men declare that she's a beautiful woman and always tells her to laugh off bitchy comments

And it is not just jealous wives who have frozen me out of their lives. Insecure female bosses have also barred me from promotions at work.

And most poignantly of all, not one girlfriend has ever asked me to be her bridesmaid.

You'd think we women would applaud each other for taking pride in our appearances.

I work at mine — I don't drink or smoke, I work out, even when I don't feel like it, and very rarely succumb to chocolate. Unfortunately women find nothing more annoying than someone else being the most attractive girl in a room.

Take last week, out walking the dogs a neighbour passed by in her car. I waved — she blatantly blanked me. Yet this is someone whose sons have stayed at my house, and who has been welcomed into my home on countless occasions.

I approached a mutual friend and discreetly enquired if I'd made a faux pas. It seems the only crime I've committed is not leaving the house with a bag over my head.She doesn't like me, I discovered, because she views me as a threat. The friend pointed out she is shorter, heavier and older than me.

Blushing bride: Samantha on her wedding day, left, and right, at home with Pascal. She laments that not one of her girlfriends has ever asked her to be a bridesmaid - perhaps from fear of being overshadowed by her looks

And, according to our mutual friend, she is adamant that something could happen between her husband and me, 'were the right circumstances in place'. Yet I'm happily married, and have been for the past four years.

This isn't the first time such paranoia has gripped the women around me. In my early 20s, when I first started in television as a researcher, one female boss in her late 30s would regularly invite me over for dinner after a long day in the office.

I always accepted her invitation, as during office hours we got along famously. But one evening her partner was at home. We were all a couple of glasses of wine into the evening. Then he and I said we both liked the song we were listening to.

She laid into her bewildered partner for 'fancying' me, then turned on me, calling me unrepeatable names before ridiculing me for dying my hair and wearing lipstick. I declined any further invitations.

Therapist Marisa Peer, author of self-help guide Ultimate Confidence, says that women have always measured themselves against each other by their looks rather than achievements — and it can make the lives of the good-looking very difficult.

'Many of my clients are models, yet people are always astounded when I explain they don't have it easy,' she says. If you are attractive other women think you lead a perfect life — which simply isn't true.

Hard work: Samantha takes pride in her appearance. She works out - even when she doesn't feel like it - she doesn't drink, she doesn't smoke... and rarely does she succumb to chocolate

'They don't realise you are just as vulnerable as they are. It's hard when everyone resents you for your looks. Men think "what's the point, she's out of my league" and don't ask you out. And women don't want to hang out with someone more attractive than they are.'

I certainly found that out the hard way, particularly in the office.

One contract I accepted was blighted by a jealous female boss. It was the height of summer and I'd opted to wear knee length, cap-sleeved dresses. They were modest, yet pretty; more Kate Middleton than Katie Price.

But my boss pulled me into her office and informed me my dress style was distracting her male employees. I didn't dare point out that there were other women in the office wearing similar attire.

Rather than argue, I worked out the rest of my contract wearing baggy, sombre-coloured trouser suits. It was clear that when you have a female boss, it's best to let them shine, but when you have a male boss, it's a different game: I have written in the Mail on how I have flirted to get ahead at work, something I'm sure many women do.

Women, however, are far more problematic. With one phenomenally tricky boss, I eventually managed to carve out a positive working relationship. But a year in, her attitude towards me changed; the deterioration began when she started to put on weight.

We were both employed by a big broadcasting company. One of our male UK chiefs recommended I take the company's global leadership course, which meant doors would have opened for me around the world.

All I needed were two personal recommendations to be eligible. As everyone in the office agreed I was good at my job, I didn't think this would be a problem.

But while the male executive signed the paperwork without hesitation, my immediate boss refused to sign. When I asked her right-hand woman why, she pulled me to one side and explained that my boss was jealous of me.

Forced out: While Samantha has previously admitted to flirting to get ahead at work, she also says jealous female bosses have made some jobs so unbearable she has been forced to leave

Things between us rapidly deteriorated. Whenever I wore something new she'd sneer at me in front of other colleagues that she was the star, not me.

Six months later I handed in my notice. Privately she begged me to stay, blaming the nasty comments on her hormones. She was in her early 40s and confided she was having marital problems. But by then I'd had enough.

I find that older women are the most hostile to beautiful women — perhaps because they feel their own bloom fading. Because my husband is ten years older than me, his social circle is that bit older too.

As a Frenchman, he takes great pride in hearing other men declare that I'm a beautiful woman and always tells me to laugh off bitchy comments from other women.

Yet I dread the inevitable sarky comments. 'Here she comes. We're in the village hall yet Sam's dressed for the Albert Hall,' was one I recently overheard. As a result I find dinner parties and social gatherings fraught and if I can't wriggle out of them, then often dress down in jeans and a demure, albeit pretty, top.

But even these ploys don't always work. Take last summer and a birthday party I attended with my husband. At one point the host, who was celebrating his 50th, decided he wanted a photo with all the women guests. Positioning us, the photographer suggested I stand immediately to his right for the shot.

Another woman I barely knew pushed me out of the way, shouting it wasn't fair on all the other women if I was dominating the snap. I was devastated and burst into tears. On my own in the loos one woman privately consoled me — well out of ear-shot of her girlfriends.

So now I'm 41 and probably one of very few women entering her fifth decade welcoming the decline of my looks. I can't wait for the wrinkles and the grey hair that will help me blend into the background.

Perhaps then the sisterhood will finally stop judging me so harshly on what I look like, and instead accept me for who I am.