Raveena Tandon backs Aishwarya Rai Bachchan amid Cannes trolling; Says women face unfair online scrutiny

Actress Raveena Tandon has strongly defended Aishwarya Rai Bachchan after the latter faced online criticism over her appearance at this year's Cannes Film Festival. Reacting to the trolling, Raveena expressed disappointment over the growing tendency to judge women based on their physical appearance rather than their achievements.

She described the criticism as unfair and said such behaviour reflects an unhealthy culture that has become increasingly common on social media.

Raveena Tandon calls social media culture 'Toxic'

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan made her much-anticipated appearance at the Cannes red carpet earlier this year in a sculptural blue outfit designed by

Amit Aggarwal

. While many admired her fashion choice, photographs and videos from the event also attracted criticism across social media platforms. Responding to the reactions, Raveena questioned why so much attention continues to be placed on a woman's age, weight and appearance instead of her work and accomplishments.She said in a statement, "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."

Praises Aishwarya Rai's global legacy

Speaking about Aishwarya's contribution to

Indian cinema

and her international recognition, Raveena said the actress has represented the country with dignity for decades. She stressed that focusing only on an outfit or an unflattering photograph ignores the remarkable career and achievements Aishwarya has built over the years.

According to Raveena, such comments fail to acknowledge the stature and respect the actress commands globally.She added, "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."

Questions double standards in the industry

Raveena also addressed what she believes is the unequal way male and female actors are judged. She pointed out that actresses often face intense scrutiny over natural ageing, while male stars are generally allowed to grow older without attracting similar criticism. According to her, this reflects a wider cultural mindset that places unrealistic expectations on women in the entertainment industry.She said, "It reveals a broader, everyday cultural double standard, like we demand our female stars remain permanently frozen in time, looking exactly like they did twenty years ago, while male actors are allowed to age, change, and grow without an ounce of the same brutal scrutiny."Concluding her remarks, Raveena urged social media users to become more thoughtful in the way they speak about women in the public eye. She encouraged people to move beyond appearance-based judgments and instead respect women who choose to live life on their own terms. She concluded, "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."Meanwhile, Raveena's recent film is 'Welcome to Jungle'.