Because you are women, people will force their thinking on you

Hear the voice of Amitabh Bachchan, who in his wisdom and experience uttered these words as both a warning and a blessing: “Because you are women, people will force their thinking on you, their boundaries on you. They will tell you how to dress, how to behave, who you can meet and where you can go. Don’t live in the shadows of people’s judgement. Make your own choices in the light of your own wisdom.” In this declaration lies not only counsel to his own daughters, but an eternal truth for all women across ages and nations. He names the chains that society forges and calls upon women to shatter them—not with bitterness, but with the radiance of their own wisdom.

The origin of these words arises from centuries of struggle, where women have often been burdened not by their own failings but by the judgement of others. In many lands, a woman’s dignity was measured not by her spirit but by her obedience to boundaries drawn by others. Bachchan, though a man of fame and stature, speaks here as a father, a witness, and a guardian of truth. He unveils the reality: that the world will always attempt to confine, to dictate, to dim the light of women. Yet he counsels resistance—not through hatred, but through the fierce flame of self-determination.

History gives us many examples of women who broke such boundaries. Recall Joan of Arc, a peasant girl who defied the strictures of her time. They told her not to wear armor, not to lead men, not to raise her voice in battle. Yet she cast off their judgements and followed the voice of her own calling. For this, she was mocked, condemned, and burned. Yet her legacy endures, brighter than those who sought to silence her. In Joan we see the embodiment of Bachchan’s words: she refused to live in the shadows, choosing instead to walk in the light of her own wisdom, even unto death.

The heart of the quote lies in this: people will always speak. They will set rules, impose fears, and dictate limits. But their voices are not destiny. If one lives always in their shadow, life becomes a half-lived existence, defined by fear rather than freedom. Bachchan calls on women to claim the courage to choose—to dress, to speak, to act, not as society demands, but as their own wisdom and conscience guide them. For only then does life rise to its fullness.

This teaching is not for women alone, though it speaks especially to them. It is for all who are told by others what they must be, where they must go, how they must live. It is for the young pressured by tradition, for the poor confined by class, for the dreamers mocked by the practical. The message is the same: do not hide in the shadows of judgement, but walk in your own light. For no one else can live your life, no one else can walk your path, no one else can carry the fire that was placed uniquely in your soul.

The lesson is thus: self-determination is not rebellion for its own sake—it is the fulfillment of your humanity. To live by the choices of others is to betray the gift of your own mind. To live by your own wisdom is to honor the life entrusted to you. This requires courage, for society punishes those who step beyond its lines. Yet it is better to be punished for truth than praised for conformity.

Practically, this means listening deeply to your own inner voice. Ask yourself not what others demand, but what your spirit calls you to do. When faced with judgement, pause, and choose in accordance with your own convictions. Surround yourself with those who encourage your growth rather than police your choices. And most of all, refuse to dim your light so that others may remain comfortable in their darkness.

So let Bachchan’s words be carried like a banner: “Make your own choices in the light of your own wisdom.” Let every woman, and every person who has ever felt the weight of imposed boundaries, take courage from this call. Do not live as a shadow of someone else’s vision—live as the radiant flame of your own truth. For it is in that light, and in that light alone, that true freedom and greatness are found.