Anasuya Faces Backlash Over Questions on Widowhood Traditions
Senior actress Hema and others had criticised her views at the time.
Actress and anchor Anasuya Bharadwaj has once again sparked a debate on social media with her views on traditional practices followed by women after the death of their husbands.
In a video shared on Instagram, Anasuya questioned why women are expected to stop wearing a bindi, bangles and anklets after becoming widows. Recalling the death of her father three years ago, she said her mother had always dressed beautifully, wearing a bindi, colourful bangles and anklets. However, after her husband’s death, she stopped wearing them.
Anasuya questioned why such accessories should be considered exclusively connected to marriage. She pointed out that girls are introduced to bindis, kajal, bangles, anklets, mehndi and nail polish by their mothers and grandmothers from a young age, well before marriage.
“If these things are part of a woman’s life before marriage, why should they suddenly become unacceptable after her husband’s death?” she questioned, while also asking where it is written that a widow must remove them.
She further argued that if these practices are meant to signify mourning after the death of a loved one, similar restrictions could logically be expected after losing a mother or grandmother as well.
At the same time, Anasuya clarified that she was not trying to disrespect anyone’s beliefs. She stressed that these were her personal thoughts and said every woman should have the freedom to decide how she wants to live.
Her latest comments come soon after her remarks on Sanatana Dharma and Hinduism triggered a heated debate on social media. Senior actress Hema and others had criticised her views at the time.
While some social media users have supported Anasuya, arguing that women should have the freedom to make their own choices, others believe such traditions carry cultural and emotional significance and should be respected.
Anasuya’s comments have once again opened up a sensitive conversation about widowhood, tradition and individual choice—an issue that continues to generate strong opinions in society.
