KATE Middleton celebrated her landmark 30th amidst celebrations that were neither too grand nor overtly sentimental. Usually 30th birthday celebrations are known to involve either a spa getaway involving your first botox shots or getting wasted at a bar with your girlfriends crying over a far from finished checklist.
Kate, having met her fairytale happily-ever-after, did neither of course. But she also didn’t make much ado about the big milestone year, which was refreshing and also particularly telling of our times. It seems after all those years of '30 being the new 20’, it finally is OK to enter the decade without any excess baggage, loud ticking clock or angst over a hardly-ticked checklist.
Kate belongs to one of the many 30-something women who are neither dodgy about their age, nor in any particular hurry to cater to someone else’s idea of how life should be at their age. She is happy to be admired for her fashion choices and charity work, without getting concerned about producing a royal heir soon.
Back home, Kate’s got enough company in the 30s club. Bipasha Basu, a true-to-form fitnessista, celebrated her 33rd birthday in her favourite place — the gym. Looking the best she ever has, she seems less and less concerned about being suddenly single after a decade long relationship. With news pouring in of ex-boyfriend taking a possible plunge with his new girlfriend, after having shied away from making the same commitment to Bips, one would’ve...
She has not shown any signs of emotional vulnerability or desperation to prove a point. Staying healthy, glowing and happily single, she has proven most of those people wrong who expect a woman to marry the next best thing or go under the radar after becoming suddenly single in their 30s.
Another big champion of re-writing all sort of personal and professional rules in her 30s is Vidya Balan. In an industry that gives preferential treatment to male actors and pays an even bigger premium on youth, she’s doing the best work of her life in her 30s.
Not only that, she is also expressing herself in a way that is unapologetic, sensual and liberated; something that is not easily excused or expected from a woman her age. She’s open about her personal life and selective about her professional choices — both being unheard of from a woman in her 30s till a few years ago.
Even the current flavour of the season, Sunny Leone, has changed her life plan at 31. After having spent a decade being an adult moviestar, she has now moved countries and careers and is ready to start afresh in Bollywood.
If a country like India that is known to be culturally conservative and particularly age-sensitive when it comes to women, can give her an opportunity to shift careers and start anew at 31, one can be sure that 30 is now just another number. It finally seems OK to enter your 30s without excess baggage, an unfinished checklist or a loudly ticking clock