With social media and the growing paparazzi culture in India, several actors who are new mums, like Alia Bhatt and Anushka Sharma, prefer not to show their kids’ face in public. Actor Swara Bhasker also stands firm on her decision to keep her daughter Raabiyaa, shielded from the public eye.

“Why should I reveal my child’s face or my child, in general, for the cruelty of strangers to be satiated? I’m not ready for that at the moment,” she tells us.

With everyone having access to a camera on their mobile phones, it is easy to click and upload an actor’s picture online. “Voyeurism has become the norm in our society,” says the 35-year-old, adding, “Harmless gossip about celebrities is on one side and, trolling and vile online abuse is the other side of the same coin. The sponsored negative social media campaigns, trolling and cyberbullying isn’t something I want my child to go through. As a new parent, I understand not wanting to expose my child to this kind of negativity and unkindness.”

Meanwhile, the Jahaan Chaar Yaar (2022) actor has been “obsessively taking videos and photos” of her daughter, who was born on September 23. “My phone in full of Raabiyaa’s photos. I’m also making a scrapbook [of memories], which she can cherish.”