Actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s trolling at Cannes red carpet was “deeply unfortunate and incredibly unfair”, actress Raveena Tandon said in a recent interview, adding that the backlash reflects a broader cultural double standard in how male and female actors are perceived.
Tandon slammed the "hyper-fixation" on a woman's appearance and ageing in the digital age.
"It is unfortunate and incredibly unfair. This relentless, hyper-fixation on a woman's aging process, her weight, or her wardrobe choice is an ongoing toxic trait of our digital culture," the actress told PTI.
Aishwarya in May this year drew widespread criticism following her annual appearance at the Cannes Film Festival in a sculpted blue gown by Amit Aggarwal.
She later became the subject of online trolling after photographs and videos from the festival were shared on social media.
Condemning the backlash, Tandon said it was unfair to reduce a woman of Aishwarya's stature to a few unflattering images.
"Aishwarya is an absolute global icon who has represented our country with unparalleled dignity and grace on international platforms for decades. To reduce a woman of her stature, achievements, and intelligence down to a bad camera angle or an experimental dress is just miserable behaviour," Tandon said.
"It's high time people online log off, look inward, and learn to respect women who are living their lives beautifully, maturely, and entirely on their own terms," concluded the Welcome to the Jungle actress.
Besides Raveena, several other actresses like Madhuri Dixit Nene and Kangana Ranaut have come out in support of Aishwarya following online criticism surrounding her appearance at the festival.