Rani Mukerji recently opened up about her life with her husband and filmmaker, Aditya Chopra, revealing that they share a similar outlook towards privacy. “My husband is a very private person. He wanted our wedding to be very private. I was also always private. Because my work life and personal life are different. I make appearances only when there is a reason for it. It’s not always, all the time. I do think that there are certain things you need to keep to yourself because you need to protect your environment, as not everything can be for everyone to see, considering we are already so exposed. That exposure is enough, I feel. There are certain things that you need to keep private, especially where you are going, what you are doing, and your family. That’s something to protect,” Mukerji, who got married in 2014, told ANI.
Adding it was equally her decision too to stay private, Rani continued: “It was my decision also. And then, being with Adi, we both follow the same philosophy, which also applies to our daughter. We didn’t want her to ever be in a situation where she is overexposed, and she should feel that there is anything special going on with her. Wherever she goes, she needs to have a very normal life. Not that there are people looking at her and recognising her. When she grows up and chooses a profession, her recognition will be earned through her work. She doesn’t earn recognition because she has famous parents. So, she should earn that herself,” said Mukerji.
Talking about her daughter, Mukerji expressed that she is also very strong-headed, like her father. “Adira’s genes are very strongly on Adi’s side. So, she is also like a 50-50. I am sure that what she has in her mind right now…may be she has not expressed it completely, but I do feel that she also has a very strong point of view. I am sure when she comes to a particular age, she will have a nice conversation with her dad…and even out things for herself.”
In a world where celebrity weddings are livestreamed and babies are introduced to the world before they can walk, the duo not only kept their wedding private and life guarded, but their daughter Adira has been raised deliberately away from the glare of social media. How does this approach matter in life?
Delnna Rrajesh, psychotherapist and life coach, said that this translates into a simple philosophy – Let her recognition come from her own work, not from the fame of her parents.
Why privacy matters in parenting today
In today’s hyperconnected world, children are born into a life of exposure they never chose. Photos, school updates, and locations… all are often shared instantly by proud parents. What feels like a celebration for the parent can become a digital footprint for the child before they even know what privacy means.
From a psychological perspective, choosing privacy creates:
A safe emotional environment
Children need a sense of home as a safe and secure sanctuary. “When every moment is broadcast, the child internalises the idea that they are always “on display.” Privacy allows them to feel safe, unseen, and authentic,” said Delnna.
Freedom from the weight of fame (or comparison)
For celebrity children, this means not being burdened by their parents’ spotlight. “For ordinary children, it means not being forced into the endless cycle of comparison that social media creates,” shared Delnna.
A stronger sense of self
When identity isn’t shaped by “likes” or external validation, children grow up learning to value their inner voice. They discover who they are away from an audience.
What we can learn as parents
– Separate work and family: Share your career, not your child’s every move.
– Normalise ‘ordinary’: Fame or not, children benefit from knowing they are just like everyone else. It maintains entitlement at a low level and fosters groundedness.
– Give children the right to choose: Parents everywhere can echo this. Our children deserve the right to decide how much of their lives they want to be public.
– Teach balance: Privacy doesn’t mean secrecy. It means teaching discernment—what to share, with whom, and when, noted Delnna.
