Bollywood's bundles of joy

Some are busy changing nappies, others are preparing to welcome their first child: motherhood is the buzzword in Bollywood. While Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Lara Dutta are in the family way, Konkona Sen Sharma, Mandira Bedi and Preeti Jhangiani are relishing playing hands-on mums to their newborns. The much-awaited news of Rai Bachchan's pregnancy was broken to her fans and the film fraternity by her father-in-law, megastar Amitabh Bachchan, in June. The Bachchan household was overjoyed with the news — with father-to-be Abhishek Bachchan thanking everyone for their "love, support and blessings". In a recent interview, he said: "I want a daughter who will look like Aishwarya." Dutta, who married tennis ace Mahesh Bhupathi in February, is the latest to confirm her pregnancy. "We are excited about the baby," Dutta tweeted. ‘The czar' In the meantime, celebrity mothers like actress-turned-TV host Bedi, Jhangiani and Sen Sharma are making the most of the joys of motherhood. Married to filmmaker Raj Kaushal, Bedi had a son on July 17, after 12 years of marriage, whom they have named Vir. The excited father had taken to Twitter to share his joy. He posted: "Ladies and gentlemen..the czar of our lives Mr Vir Kaushal has arrived," while Bedi wrote: "And here starts an exciting new chapter of my life!" Jhangiani and her husband, Parveen Dabbas, who are gearing up for the release of their debut production and direction venture Sahi Dhandhe Galat Bande (Right Jobs, Wrong Men), also joined the list of new celebrity parents with the birth of their son in April. Another celebrity couple sharing parental responsibilities these days are Sen Sharma and Ranvir Shorey. Within six months of their marriage, Sen Sharma gave birth to baby boy Haroon, in March. They were in a relationship for over three years, and solemnised their union in a low-key, private ceremony. ‘Most memorable day' The stork also visited other Bollywood celebrities in the first half of this year. Actor Manoj Bajpayee's wife, Neha (real name Shabana Raza) had a daughter in February. They named her Ava Nayla. Bajpayee will be seen in Prakash Jha's Aarakshan, releasing in the UAE on Thursday. "It is the most memorable day for me and my wife. First time, I am getting the happiness of fatherhood and also the feeling of responsibility. First time, I am getting emotional about how life will turn," the actor had posted on his blog. Actor-filmmaker Sohail Khan became a father for the second time with wife Seema giving birth to their second son June 16. Their eldest child, Nirvaan, is 10 years old. Sitarist and composer Anoushka Shankar also became mother of son Zubin Shankar Wright in February. She is married to British director Joe Wright.