When Manisha Koirala Spoke About Bollywood’s Age Gap and Double Standards
In an old conversation with Simi Garewal, the actress questioned why male stars could continue as romantic leads into their 40s and 50s while women were often sidelined after marriage
MUMBAI— Actress Manisha Koirala had once spoken candidly about the age gap between male and female actors in Bollywood and the industry’s differing expectations of men and women.
Koirala discussed the issue during an appearance on veteran actress Simi Garewal’s popular chat show Rendezvous with Simi Garewal, where she questioned why male actors could continue playing romantic heroes well into their 40s and 50s, while female actors were often considered unsuitable for leading roles after marriage.
“It’s really sad, you know. I mean, we have actors who are grandfathers and are still working as a hero, but the moment an actress gets married, she’s tabooed from acting,” she had said.
She also pointed to the significant age differences between male leads and their female co-stars, questioning why older male actors continued to be cast opposite much younger women.
“Why, when you have, you know, 40-year-old or 50-year-old as a hero, why doesn’t, okay, fine, I mean, 40 plus,” Koirala had said.
At the time, the actress expressed hope that the industry would gradually challenge such restrictions and become more accepting of women as they grew older.
“I mean, I think a lot of restrictions are there in our industry, but with time I feel people will start fighting it,” she had said.
The conversation also turned to the way women were portrayed in mainstream Hindi cinema.
Garewal suggested that one reason for the disparity could be that heroines were often viewed primarily as objects of desire for the male protagonist.
Koirala agreed that being desired was not inherently a negative thing but argued that women should not be reduced to their physical appearance.
“It’s a great thing to be desired, but if they limit you only to that, then it’s a sad thing,” she had said.
She also placed some responsibility on women themselves to challenge such perceptions by demonstrating their abilities and ensuring that their talent and work remained the focus.
“It’s up to women, too, I mean, to get up and show, okay, fine, I can act, I can do,” Koirala had said, arguing that actresses needed to shift attention away from their appearance and towards their craft.
The comments reflected a broader debate within the Hindi film industry over gender, age, marriage and the opportunities available to actors as they grow older.
Koirala, who has had a career spanning several decades, has herself continued to take on a wide range of roles across Hindi and other Indian-language cinema, including characters that move beyond the conventional image of the Bollywood heroine.
Her observations from the earlier conversation continue to resonate with discussions about representation and the changing roles available to women in Indian cinema.
