Bollywood faces numerous challenges, ranging from regressive content, gender pay inequality, sexism, favoritism, and notably, ageism. One prevalent aspect of ageism is evident in how Bollywood heroes age while the actresses portraying their love interests grow younger. From Akshay Kumar to Salman Khan, they’ve been consistently paired with much younger actresses, and this trend often goes unquestioned in the industry. However, this is just one facet of the multidimensional ageism problem.
Speaking about ageism, Kareena Kapoor discussed the peculiar experience of romancing her sister Karisma’s former co-stars, remarking,”I am romancing all of Lolo’s (Karisma) co-stars, it’s so weird. (During) Akshay’s first shot, I was in my school uniform. It’s been such a long time, it just shows how amazing he is rather than me.” But Twinkle disagreed and said, “Maybe not, it also shows that here men can just have these long careers and women…”
What’s even more disheartening is how some actresses, despite being younger than the heroes of the ’90s, end up playing the roles of their mothers.
In the 2005 movie Waqt: The Race Against Time, Shefali Shah played the mother of Akshay Kumar, even though she was five years younger than him. In one of the recent interviews, she promised to never do it again in her life.
Moreover, it’s disappointing that while ’90s heroes continue to lead some of Bollywood’s biggest movies, ’90s or even 2000s actresses struggle to secure leading roles under any major production houses.
Addressing ageism in Bollywood, during an episode of ‘Koffee with Karan,’ Karan Johar discussed Rani’s statement that ‘men only turn younger and women mature in cinema’. To which Rani said, ‘It’s the truth of cinema, not particularly the cinema of the world but Indian Cinema.’
Producers invest in stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Ajay Devgn, and Akshay Kumar, enabling their prolonged success spanning over three decades. These actors not only star in major films but also receive full credit if the movie succeeds. Many of them even negotiate profit-sharing deals, something rarely offered to female actors.
However, it’s unjust to solely blame Bollywood or Indian Cinema. Society and the audience also contribute to this issue. Several actors and actresses have spoken about how audiences readily accept ’90s heroes as superstars but are unwilling to do the same for actresses after a certain age.
Despite a glimmer of hope with the expansive reach of OTT platforms, allowing ’90s actresses like Madhuri Dixit, Raveena Tandon, Juhi Chawla, Karisma Kapoor, Kajol, and others to land significant opportunities, mainstream big-budget movies, such as YRF’s Spy Universe or Rohit Shetty’s Cop Universe, continue to overlook casting these talented actresses in lead roles.
It’s high time Indian cinema started offering substantial roles to actresses from a young age, enabling them to connect with audiences and build a reputation and star appeal comparable to their male counterparts. It’s disappointing that while talent suffices for male actors to succeed, for Bollywood actresses, age becomes an additional determining factor! What do you think? Tell us in the comments below.