Explanation to be sought from Nayanthara-Vignesh Shivan on surrogacy: Tamil Nadu govt

A day after director Vignesh Shivan and actor Nayanthara announced the birth of their twin babies, Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian said that his department will seek an explanation from the couple if the reports claiming surrogacy were true.

Subramanian, during a media address, was flooded with questions as to how the star couple who took the nuptial vows four months ago in a grand ceremony welcomed twins via surrogacy so soon, and if they had followed the surrogacy rules. To this, the Minister replied that the Directorate of Medical Services will be directed to conduct an inquiry.

He also added, "Surrogacy is subjected to a lot of debate. But the law allows individuals to involve in surrogacy if they are above 21 and below 36 years of age, with the approval of the family."

The new Surrogacy regulation and its many limitations

The question-mark over the happy occasion is squarely on account of the new Surrogacy Regulation Act, which came into effect from January 25, 2022. It permits what it calls 'altruistic surrogacy' only, and also imposes strict restrictions on both the surrogate as well as the intending couple. This regulation has come to be questioned and criticised for the many groups of people it excludes from having children via surrogacy. 

Altruistic surrogacy means surrogacy in which no charges, expenses, fees, remuneration or monetary incentive of whatever nature, except the medical expenses and such other prescribed expenses incurred on the surrogate mother and the insurance coverage for the surrogate mother are given to the surrogate mother or her dependents or her representative. 

Crucially, the Act specifies eligibility criteria for the intending couple as well as the surrogate. The intending couple should be married and between the age of 23 to 50 years in the case of females and between 26 to 55 years in the case of males. They should not have any surviving child biologically or through adoption or through surrogacy earlier. 

A surrogate mother has to be a close relative of the couple, a married woman with a child of her own, aged between 25-35 years, who has been a surrogate only once in her life. The intending couple and the surrogate mother are given a recommendation certificate from a designated board. This cannot be done without the consent of the Director-in-Charge of the Surrogacy Clinic and the officer qualified to determine the matter. They should certify in writing that the circumstances are acceptable to undergo surrogacy.

However, there is no official confirmation from the couple if the babies were born via surrogacy. 

Nayanthara & Vignesh Shivan welcome twin babies 

Taking to his Instagram handle on Sunday, Vignesh Shivan shared a couple of pictures with Nayanthara shedding smiles as they kissed their twins' feet. In the caption, he said, "Nayan & Me have become Amma & Appa. We are blessed with Twin Baby Boys. All Our prayers, our ancestors’ blessings combined with all the good manifestations made, have come 2gethr in the form Of 2 blessed babies for us. Need all ur blessings for our Uyir & Ulagam. Life looks brighter & more beautiful. God is double great."