Netizens slam Suniel Shetty for comfort of c-section comment: ‘Only a man would have the audacity…’
In a recent interview, actor Suniel Shetty said his daughter Athiya Shetty was brave to opt for a natural birth rather than a caesarean section.
Social media users are pushing back after actor Suniel Shetty made a comment in a recent interview that many found outdated and insensitive. The actor, while speaking about his daughter Athiya Shetty’s journey into motherhood, expressed pride that she opted for a natural delivery rather than a C-section—framing it as a braver, more admirable choice.
“In a world where everybody wants the comfort of having a caesarean baby, she chose not to do that and had a natural delivery. I remember how every nurse and pediatrician in the hospital said that it’s unbelievable how she went through the whole process,” Suniel had said in an interview with News18.
The remark didn’t sit well with many on the internet. Critics quickly took to platforms like Instagram to call out the implications behind his words.
“Comfort of C-section! That’s new!" a user sarcastically posted. Another wrote, “What’s there to be proud [of]? This way or that way, the baby should be safe, the mother should be safe. Birth journey is not about C-sec or natural... Shame on people who still think this.” One of the more cutting responses read: “Only a man would have the audacity to think a C-section is a comfort.”
The backlash grew despite the broader context of Suniel’s interview being deeply emotional and affectionate. The veteran actor had gone on to say how moved he was by Athiya’s strength during childbirth. “That hit me as a father. I was like, ‘Wow, she’s ready!’ Athiya was very, very strong to do that,” he had said.
He also credited her inner strength to her mother, Mana Shetty. “Her mother is a strong woman herself and Athiya probably soaked in all of that from her,” he noted, adding that Athiya has embraced motherhood with grace and ease. “Athiya has embraced motherhood like a fish to water… Not once has she shown any kind of stress or a frown or shown that she’s tired and exhausted.”
Despite the controversy, the Shetty family continues to celebrate this new chapter. Athiya and KL Rahul welcomed their daughter, Evaarah, on March 24, and have since shared glimpses of their parenting journey online. On Mother’s Day, Suniel posted a throwback of him holding baby Athiya, to which she replied, “I’ll always be your baby.”
In the same interview, Suniel gushed about how his daughter has surprised him with her calm approach to parenting. “She’s absolutely fantastic. Every father thinks of their daughters as little babies. I also thought so and wondered if she’ll be able to handle motherhood, but she’s unbelievable!” he said. “The way she has adapted to this new life, is going about things and went about her delivery makes me feel so proud.”
He also shared that his digital conversations with Athiya now revolve around parenting content. “My Instagram feed is all about kids. Today, I send her reels about childcare and she keeps sending me reels of grandparents and grandchildren and the bond they share.”
Meanwhile, KL Rahul also recently posted an unseen photo of Athiya holding baby Evaarah and praised her for her strength and patience as a new mother, writing that it made him fall in love with her all over again.
