Hyderabad, November 22, 2025
Entrepreneur and philanthropist Upasana Kamineni Konidela, wife of Telugu superstar Ram Charan, has doubled down on her controversial advice to young women to consider egg freezing as a tool for career empowerment, dismissing the ensuing uproar as a "healthy debate" that empowers informed choices. The remarks, delivered during a motivational session at IIT Hyderabad and amplified via a video on her X handle, have thrust her into a polarized national conversation on motherhood, feminism, and medical ethics—drawing fire from medical experts and online critics while earning applause from career-focused millennials.
Speaking to a rapt audience of female engineering students on November 18, Upasana—herself a mother to four-year-old Klin Kaara and vice chairperson of Apollo Hospitals—urged the women to "freeze their eggs" early in their 20s to sideline biological clocks and prioritize professional ambitions. "Don't let the pressure of marriage or kids derail your dreams. Egg freezing is like an insurance policy—freeze now, decide your timeline later," she said in the now-viral clip, which has garnered over 2 million views. Drawing from her own journey of marrying at 23 and balancing a high-profile career in healthcare and wellness, she framed the procedure as a liberating "right, not a privilege," emphasizing autonomy over societal timelines.
The video's rapid spread ignited a torrent of backlash within hours. Prominent gynecologists and fertility specialists lambasted the suggestion as oversimplified and potentially misleading, highlighting the procedure's high costs (₹1-2 lakh per cycle, plus annual storage fees of ₹20,000-50,000), success rates dipping below 50% post-35, and risks like ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Dr. Duru Shah, president of the Indian Society for Assisted Reproduction, tweeted: "Egg freezing is no magic bullet—it's a backup with fine print. Glamorizing it without caveats endangers uninformed women." Influencers and social media users piled on, with accusations of Upasana "hawking Apollo's IVF services" (given her family's stake in the hospital chain) trending under #EggFreezingScam. One viral post from a Chennai-based doctor read: "This isn't empowerment; it's expensive false hope for the elite—most Indian women can't afford it." A journalist even dubbed the clip a "major PR fail," questioning if it was less about advice and more about brand promotion.
Feminist voices were split. While some hailed it as a progressive nudge against "marriage market" pressures—citing rising female workforce participation in India at 37%—others decried it as tone-deaf to class divides, arguing that egg freezing remains a luxury inaccessible to rural or low-income women grappling with basic reproductive healthcare. The debate spilled into mainstream media, with panels on NDTV and India Today dissecting whether such endorsements normalize delayed motherhood amid India's fertility rate hovering at 2.0.
Breaking her silence late Friday on X, Upasana issued a measured clarification that only fueled the discourse further. "Grateful for the healthy debate this has sparked—it's exactly what we need. Egg freezing isn't for everyone, but for those who choose it, it's about owning your timeline, not societal scripts," she wrote, attaching an infographic on the procedure's pros and cons sourced from neutral medical bodies. She took a subtle jab at detractors labeling it an "Apollo scam," retorting: "I've been vocal about women's health for years—let's focus on facts, not family ties." In a follow-up Instagram Live, she shared personal anecdotes of friends who benefited from the tech, stressing consultations with doctors over blanket endorsements.
The controversy has broader ripples. Apollo Hospitals clarified in a statement that Upasana's views are personal, not institutional, while IIT Hyderabad distanced itself, noting the session was student-invited and aimed at "inspirational talks." Fertility clinics nationwide reported a 30% inquiry spike over the weekend, per industry trackers, suggesting the buzz—intended or not—has spotlighted a niche service.
As the dust settles, Upasana's unapologetic stance resonates with Gen Z advocates pushing for "choice feminism," but it underscores a deeper societal tension: In a nation where one in four women exits the workforce post-childbirth, is egg freezing a beacon of progress or a gilded distraction? For now, the entrepreneur-turned-debate-starter seems unfazed, signing off her latest post with: "Let's keep talking—knowledge is the real insurance."
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