“IT’S A GIRL!!!!!”

Her delighted daddy had taken to Twitter at 9.51 am on November 16, 2011 to announce in all-caps, mind you – “IT’S A GIRL!!!!!! :-))))) Abhishek was followed by his dad, Amitabh who, shared “I AM DADA to the cutest baby girl!!” Calling the birth of his child a “fantastic reason to smile,” Abhishek has spoken about how “life really changes after this. You become responsible for this bundle of joy. For me and Aishwarya, it is all about Aaradhya and how it will affect her from small things to the largest decisions. It has to be something that has to be seen from her point of view. So, it changes everything for good.”

Beti B!

For nearly four months after she was born, the little tot was referred to across the nation as ‘Beti B’! It caught on so quickly, soon even her daddy was using it, most naturally. “First day back at work after Beti B. And so difficult to concentrate. Thoughts are monopolized by a certain little lady,” Abhishek had tweeted. While Grandma Jaya nicknamed her ‘Strawbelly’, everyone and their aunt played the guessing game over the baby’s impending name. Finally, it wasn’t Aaliya or even Abhilasha, but Aaradhya which won. And with its meaning, ‘the first one’, ‘the one worthy of being worshipped’, the Bachchans had chosen well.

Picture this!

Amidst high speculation that the baby’s images would be sold to a magazine for an astronomical sum, the family revealed that they would not release any pictures of the baby. Abhishek had released a statement saying: “…In terms of releasing a photograph, if people see her in everyday life that’s fine by me but I just think releasing the photograph is a very pompous thing to do.” We like!

Letter of Courage

Her grandpa, Amitabh had written a precious and empowering letter addressed to her and Navya Naveli, in which he had mentioned, “You carry a very valuable legacy on your tender shoulders – Aaradhya, the legacy of your pardadaji, Dr Harivansh Rai Bachchan… Both of you may be a Nanda or a Bachchan, but you are also girls… women. And because you are women people, will force their thinking, their boundaries on you... Never ever worry about – log kya kahenge. At the end of the day, you are the only one who will face the consequences of your actions, so don’t let other people make your decisions for you.”

Love that attitude!

Increasingly comfortable with the limelight, and even loving the attention at Cannes, Aishwarya revealed about her daughter… “There are some pictures of her gesturing a ‘no’ at the airport (as she was departing). I asked her ‘What were you doing, waving out?’ She told me ‘I was saying no, no photos please.’ It was so cute!” exclaims the smitten mom. Aaradhya sure has learnt fast!

Staying Grounded

Despite being “born to a lady in showbiz,” as Ash puts it, she strives to keep Aaradhya’s upbringing as simple as she can. “I’ve been very particular that Aaradhya evolves, and develops her own personality, and hope she finds her own calling. Every minute spent with her is worth it.”