In 1991, Demi Moore’s cover photo for Vanity Fair’s August issue reportedly marked the first ever maternity photoshoot to be circulated commercially. Ever since, various celebrities partook in maternity photoshoots to promote body positivity and embrace motherhood.
Here are some Bollywood celebs who have taken part in maternity photoshoots:
Anushka Sharma
Anushka Sharma, who recently welcomed a baby girl with Virat Kohli, was seen on the cover for Vogue India‘s January 2021 issue in which she shared her pregnancy experience. She said, “You are more connected to your body, to all that is happening.” She added, “When you are expecting, you connect with people you never thought you would. Honestly, all the women in my life, not only my close friends, have been so kind, so helpful in reaching out. I do have friends who have babies, but they don’t live in Mumbai, so being able to discuss things—the overwhelming emotions, whether I’m behaving normal or hormonal... For all those questions, you have to have that circle. I think it’s really underrated, that sisterhood.”
Kalki Koechlin
Kalki Koechlin featured in the December 2019 issue of Grazia while she was carrying her baby girl Sappho. When asked whether she was concerned about getting back to her pre-pregnancy body after giving birth she replied, “I haven’t thought too much about it yet, I feel that it is challenging enough to carry a baby. I do think about how I will get back to work, and there is this sense of insecurity that stems from how I will handle the baby, breast pump, nanny, timings all those things. But, we do live in an age of multitasking and I have practiced yoga and meditation throughout this pregnancy, which I intend on carrying forward post giving birth as well.”
Lisa Haydon
Elle Magazine’s May 2017 issue featured Lisa Haydon when she was expecting her first son Zack. The actor addressed common issues new mothers face as she said, “In India, if you get married, let alone have a baby, it’s assumed you’re not that interested in work. Lisa ‘settled down’, they’ll say. What a labelling, binding term. Nothing could be further from the truth. We no longer live in a world where you need to choose one or the other, and I’m not going to allow myself to be pushed to choose.”
Esha Deol
Esha Deol Takhtani was photographed cradling her baby bump for the cover of the October 2017 issue of Health and Nutrition. She was pregnant with her first child, daughter Radhya, at the time.
Kareena Kapoor
Kareena Kapoor, who is expecting her second child, recently did a shoot with Puma India to promote a new collection of activewear. She shared photos in an Instagram post with a caption that read, “A little bit of yoga. A little bit of calm. #PUMAxKareena, starting strong."
Anita Hassanandani
TV actor Anita Hassanandani recently shot an ad with eyewear brand Lenskart while pregnant. She posted a few photos on Instagram.
Celina Jaitly
In September 2017, Miss Malini shared a photo on Instagram of Celina Jaitly, pregnant with twins at the time, posing in a bathtub. The actor later posted a statement saying that the photoshoot was her way of trying to challenge the stereotypes associated with pregnant women. While acknowledging the love she had received from fans, she said she had also received a lot of trolling for "violating traditional expectations of behaviour". "Honestly to me they truly are laughable and don’t affect me personally," she said.
Shveta Salve
In July 2016, Shveta Salve shot for Inpiro India and reposted the picture on her Instagram. She captioned the picture saying, “Sometimes the smallest things take the most place ... In your Heart."
Genelia Deshmukh
Genelia Deshmukh took to Instagram to post a picture from a maternity photoshoot with Riteish Deshmukh. She captioned it, “Thank you GOD for blessing me much more than I deserve.”
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