Actor and producer Patralekhaa spoke out on Friday after a paparazzi video of her sparked backlash online. The clip showed her stepping out of her car with her husband, Rajkummar Rao, seen walking behind her in the video. But the caption took a harsh turn, questioning her appearance. The video was captioned, “What’s happened to her?” The post quickly drew criticism from social media users. Now, taking to Instagram Stories, Patralekhaa also strongly criticized the remark.
She addressed the realities of women’s bodies after childbirth in her story while clarifying how her physical changes are a natural part of the postpartum phase of giving birth. She further urged people to be more empathetic, especially to new mothers. “What’s happened to me!? is that I have just given birth! Yes I have gained the weight, which seems like an unnatural phenomenon to you all,” she wrote. She clarified that the weight gain came from pregnancy, not overeating, while also sharing that she is still adjusting and coming to terms with the changes in her body. Then, in a longer note, she highlighted how she has been navigating the physical and emotional demands of new motherhood. “I have not sat and eaten a mountain, I just delivered a baby and produced two films simultaneously which are not easy jobs. If I could I would not be this way. But that’s how my body has reacted to pregnancy. For God’s sake please learn to be a little kind,” she added.
The incident has once again brought focus to body shaming and the pressure placed on women after childbirth. Several celebrities, including Neha Dhupia, Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, and Ranbir Kapoor, have also spoken against such intrusive and insensitive behaviour from paparazzi in the past.
Patralekhaa and Rajkummar Rao welcomed their first child, a daughter, on November 15, 2025, marking a new chapter in their journey together. The couple named her Parvati Paul Rao, a heartfelt tribute to Rajkummar’s late mother. Their story goes back years, with Rajkummar once sharing that he first noticed Patralekhaa in an advertisement and felt an instant connection, long before they met in person. Their paths finally crossed on the sets of CityLights in 2014, directed by Hansal Mehta, where they worked together as co-actors. What started as a professional bond soon grew into something deeper, eventually turning into a steady relationship. After years of being together, Rajkummar proposed in October 2021, keeping it personal and meaningful. The couple got married the following month in November, choosing an intimate ceremony with close friends and family, staying true to their low-key style.