Aishwarya Rai explains why living with parents does not mean lack of independence

An old clip of actress Aishwarya Rai discussing her decision to live with her parents has resurfaced online. She questioned the American practice of young adults moving out and said living away from family should not define independence.

Mumbai: Actress Aishwarya Rai once spoke about her choice of living with her parents despite being an extremely successful woman, a concept which is alien to American culture.

An old clip from one of the actress’ old international interactions has resurfaced on the Internet, and it shows her defending her choice while also being curious about the American cultural practice of kids moving out of their parents’ house at a young age.

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She said, “I wouldn’t understand why, but that’s probably because that’s the way of life there. Would that generally be so? Would that be like everybody has to or does move out? Is there like a social rule?”.

When she was told that a 30-year-old woman in America who has her own career and is making good money will not be living at home, she said, “By virtue of my job, I’m traveling out. You get to spend very little time with your family. We hardly get to meet each other, except in the one odd day we really get to spend time, have dinner together. And that’s rare, and we cherish it”.

When she was asked, “Do you consider yourself an independent woman?”, she said, “Yes, yes. And I don’t see any reason why moving away from your family is a statement of independence”.

Aishwarya Rai is one of India’s most celebrated actresses and global beauty icons. She rose to international prominence after winning the Miss World title in 1994. She made her acting debut with the Tamil film Iruvar and went on to establish herself. Her performances earned critical acclaim, while her appearances at the Cannes Film Festival strengthened her international profile.

She is married to actor Abhishek Bachchan, she has remained a prominent figure in Indian cinema and fashion, admired for her elegance, screen presence and enduring global appeal.