Brad and Angelina ditch adoption plans

Nov 7, 2006, 8:00 GMT

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have abandoned their plans to adopt an Indian baby because of the controversy surrounding Madonna's recent adoption.

The Hollywood couple - who have a baby daughter Shiloh and two adopted children, five-year-old son Maddox, who is Cambodian, and Ethiopian daughter Zahara, who is 22-months-old - planned to give a home to an Indian orphan but have been put off by the criticism Madonna has received for adopting a 13-month-old Malawian boy.

A source told Britain's New magazine: "No one wants to be dragged through the heartache that Madonna has. It's a real shame.

"Angelina was so saddened. When people start questioning the legality of adoption, of whether you'll be able to keep the child, it gets into a territory that's just heartbreaking."

Angelina and Brad are currently in Pune, India, filming 'A Mighty Heart', which Angelina is starring in and Brad is producing, and last month they visited the Priva Darshini orphanage together.

The source revealed: "Angelina has a philosophy that people enter your life for a reason, that you go to a place for a reason. This made India a perfect spot for them to explore introducing a new culture into their lives. She believes so strongly in adoption. "Brad would prefer a boy no older than 18 months to even out the sexes but Angie has told him she can't guarantee she won't fall in love with a little girl.

"They had originally hoped to be able to bring the child home before Christmas, and had even thought of a name, India, to honour the child's homeland."

Brad recently said he would like at least six children, enough to make a mini-soccer team, while Angelina has made no secret of her desire to have a big adopted family.

She recently said: "I believe I'm meant to find my children in the world and not necessarily have them genetically."

(C) BANG Media International