Heroes don’t have to worry about pregnancy, says Meenakshi Seshadri

A celebrated actress who rose to fame in the 1980s with her powerful performances in Hindi cinema, Meenakshi Seshadri recently spoke about why popular male actors continue to be successful in Bollywood. From iconic movie stars such as Amitabh Bachchan, Rajesh Khanna, Jeetendra, Anil Kapoor to Shatrughan Sinha among many others; Meenakshi’s exit from the film industry came in 1996 so that she could concentrate on her personal life and settle down in the USA.

However, as she gets ready for an eagerly awaited comeback, she has been giving her two cents on why men have a longer career path than women.

During an interview with Lehren Retro, Meenakshi listed several reasons behind male actors’ long-standing careers within Bollywood. She said "There are many reasons why men last longer than women actors in the industry. They are still at it even Dharmendra or Jeetendra generation along with Amitabh Bachchan."

She further stated that one of these reasons is division of household work. “Men don’t really engage themselves in domestic duties at home. This means they can completely devote themselves to their careers,” explained Meenakshi. Additionally, she commented on the effects of family obligations saying “They don’t have to worry about childbirth, pregnancy or raising children. All of this becomes woman’s responsibility.”

Moreover, according to Meenakshi; this enduring love for male stars by public opinion holds immense importance for their continuous triumphs. She concluded “Of course people still like them; it is most important thing.”

Meenakshi Seshadri’s upcoming return to acting brings forth valuable perspectives into gender roles that determine how far one goes and what influences longevity of a career in Indian film industry today.