Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan: TN government to conduct inquiry on surrogacy
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Nayanthara and Vignesh Shivan took their fans by surprise when they announced they were proud parents to twin boys. Vignesh shared the news on social media. Many speculated the kids were born via surrogacy.
However, many legal experts pointed out that surrogacy has been made illegal in India since January, barring some exceptions. Reacting to this, Tamil Nadu health minister Ma Subramanian recently said that the state government will seek an explanation from the couple in the matter.
On Sunday, Vignesh took to social media to announce that they had welcomed twin boys. "Nayan & Me have become Amma & Appa.We are blessed with twin baby boys," he wrote alongside pictures of himself and Nayanthara with the feet of their twins.
Many fans speculated that the kids must have been born via surrogacy, something several other celebs have also opted for, most notably Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas. However, since January 2022, surrogacy is illegal in India other than in cases where a medical condition makes it impossible for the couple to bear children. On Monday, during a press meet in Chennai, a journalist asked Tamil Nadu health minister Ma Subramanian if the couple who got married four months ago can conceive through surrogacy and whether there was a time restriction. As reported by The News Minute, the Minister replied that the Directorate of Medical Services will be directed to conduct an inquiry and seek an explanation.
Reports have claimed that Nayanthara and Vignesh welcomed their children via surrogacy but the couple is yet to make an official announcement so far. It is likely that Nayanthara and Vignesh started the surrogacy procedure before December 2021, when commercial surrogacy was allowed. The Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021 was passed in December 2021 and came into effect on January 25, 2022. It has banned commercial surrogacy, only allowing for altruistic surrogacy. The new rules also state, other than a couple, who have a 'medical indication necessitating gestational surrogacy', only an Indian woman who is a widow or divorcee between the ages of 35 and 45 years can opt for surrogacy.
Nayanthara and Vignesh, both 37, met in 2015 while making Naanum Rowdy Dhaan together. They dated for several years before tying the knot in June this year in Mahabalipuram. Their wedding was attended by several celebs from across the country.