‘Wealth is often associated with happiness. But happiness lies beyond materialistic things too, doesn’t it? This notion is more prevalent when it is a celebrity’s child, as they are presumed to have the luxury to do whatever they want. Little does society understand that the struggles they go through are different.

Right from school, there have been countless times when people have walked over me or taken complete advantage of my friendship. Many of my batchmates wanted to be my friend, just so that they can see my father or take a sneak peek into our lifestyle. I would be asked for innumerable favours, I did not have the courage to refuse back then, as I didn’t know the art of saying no to people.

As time went by, all this made me feel vulnerable and I craved for a sense of normalcy. I was puzzled by the fact that my actions were always subjected to public opinions and intense scrutiny. A small instance to illustrate this could be my decision to wear a burqa. I do it as it feels liberating and not because my family imposes it. We strongly believe in the philosophy of ‘live and let live’, and respect each other’s choices. But the scenario ended up as a huge controversy with casteist remarks thrown at me. Apart from that, I have also gone through my fair share of online bullying and body shaming for years.

There is a saying however that ‘what doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger’. My experiences till date have helped me develop a fairly good understanding of people. Today, I am happy to have a close-knit group of friends, who love and respect me for me. I also envelop myself with work and focus on giving back to society. My grandmother planted that seed very strongly in my mind. She was a selfless lady, who dedicated her life to taking care of others in need. I aspire to be as strong willed and humble as her one day!”

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