In an era of smartphones and 24/7 connectivity, one of Bollywood’s most revered families is a different animal. Aaradhya Bachchan (granddaughter of Amitabh Bachchan, daughter of Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) is to abstain from her own personal mobile phone.
Abhishek Bachchan told a journalist this week of being banned from having one. If Aaradhya’s friends wish to call her, the phone is given to her with Aishwarya Rai’s approval, he said. It’s a mechanism aimed at keeping Aaradhya’s childhood safe, balanced and free from gratuitous digital interruptions.
Abhishek said the decision was taken based on Aaradhya’s age, security level and digital well-being. The Bachchan family is big on some control of how technology interacts, particularly in childhood. They are opting for discipline and limits over convenience in a world where too much screen time and online exposure can have an impact on young minds. Such an approach echoes the family’s long-standing values.
The Bachchans have long talked about privacy, respect and upbringing. For them, parenting is not just about fame or leisure it’s about developing the discipline to protect children’s innocence as well as help them live healthier lives, they say. In fact, this example might inspire many parents to wait on or restrict mobile phone access until their kids are emotionally mature enough to manage it appropriately.
In an age when digital devices have become the order of the day, the Bachchan family’s decision is a rare one. It is a proof that shielding your children from the technology-driven pressures is possible even if you cannot escape the press of fame. So even though Aaradhya might not yet have her own mobile phone, she has something much more precious the mentorship of a family that cares more about her well-being than trends about her.” Perhaps that is the most important lesson of all.
