Being a daughter-in-law in India is not easy. There are too many expectations and a lot of adjustments. But even so, most bahus in our country stick to the rule book and fulfill all these expectations. Interestingly, celebrity bahus are no exception.
One of the most famous bahus in our country is Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and she has also done the same.
A traditionalist at heart, Aishwarya was able to adjust easily into the Bachchan family. And even though there were several rumours of a tiff with mum-in-law Jaya Bachchan, their relationship remained unchanged, friendly and respectful.
And it was recently proved when Jaya shared why she felt Aishwarya was the perfect bahu for her family.
"I wanted my son to marry a girl who has those values"
"I am an honest person, I do not have needs in life, I can be happy anywhere. And I hope and think I have brought my children up with the right values. I keep telling my son every single day, it doesn't matter if a film does well or not. What matters is a light boy saying 30 years later, 'It was such a pleasure working with you,' she shared with a daily, adding that is why Aishwarya fit in to the family perfectly, because even she is honest and shares the same family values.
"That is why I wanted my son to marry a girl who has those values, who has that tradition, that culture," said the Bachchan matriarch.
During the interaction she also spoke about her protective instincts for Aishwarya and how she cannot take anybody saying anything against her.
"If he was at my home, I would have slapped him"
During the infamous violent brawl that broke out between Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan, the former passed unruly remarks about Aishwarya, which angered saasuma Jaya. She spoke about it during the interaction and called out Shah Rukh for his bad behaviour towards her bahu.
She even went on to say that she would never tolerate anybody saying anything against her bahu Aishwarya.
"I haven't had the opportunity to discuss it with him, and I am going to speak to him about it. If he was at my home, I would have slapped him, just as I would my own son. But I have connected with him in my soul, and that's it," she said.
Jaya Bachchan is a protective saasuma
But this is not the first time, Jaya has come to be so protective about her bahurani.
She had earlier reprimanded the media for addressing Aishwarya by her name.
“Kya Aishwarya Aishwarya bula rahe ho, tumhare class mein padhti thi kya?” (What Aishwarya Aishwarya? Is she your classmate?)," shouted Jaya Bachchan.
It is pretty clear that Jaya Bachchan is also a traditionalist and likes to stick to her family values and culture and therefore, wants her bahurani to do the same. But she is equally protective of her as well.
This type of relationship can only happen when the in-laws accept and appreciate their bahu for who she is and that is possible when the ice is broken and there is more openness in the family.
So how can one break the ice with the in-laws? Well, here are some simple ways to begin.
- Be honest: This trait goes a long way in not only breaking the ice, but also in further cementing the relationship. Your in-laws will be there for the rest of your life, so it's better to be who you actually are in front of them. Be honest with your ideas and thoughts and do not lead them on into believing that you're somebody else.
- Be appreciative: After all your in-laws are your spouse' parents and they deserve equal respect and appreciation as your own parents. If they have done something for you, there is no harm in appreciating their effort and letting them know you acknowledge their good deed.
- Be adjusting: Let's not deny the fact that a marriage needs a lot of work and not only between two partners, but also between two families. So either way, both parties will have to adjust for the marriage to be a success. Therefore, it's a good idea to adjust and give in wherever needed.
Read: 4 things I did to befriend my mum-in-law who knows it all too well
(All images courtesy: Instagram)