It’s not the years, it’s the mileage

Kareena Kapoor Khan marks her 25th year in cinema with The Buckingham Murders, a crime thriller directed by Hansal Mehta. She is also gearing up for the release of her next film, Singham Again, by Rohit Shetty, where she will share the screen with Ajay Devgn in the lead role. The actress continues to rule the box office when compared to many actors much younger. She is among the top three highest-paid actresses in the industry. Kareena asks, “What’s wrong with stating your age?”

Actress Tabu too falls in this category: At 52, she shared the screen with Kareena Kapoor Khan and Kriti Sanon and also played the central parts in Kuttey, Bholaa, and Khufiya. Tabu is quietly demonstrating how a female actor can transcend age and generation boundaries and take the lead. She is also gearing up for her upcoming series, Dune Prophecy.

Kajol is back in action with Do Patti with Kriti Sanon, where she plays a cop and Maharagni-Queen of Queens, an intense action and gripping tale of a vengeful woman.

Even Vidya Balan, who is making a highly anticipated return to the Bhool Bhulaiyaa franchise after a remarkable 17-year, her impact on Bollywood goes beyond this franchise. Renowned for her strong female characters, she has played a pivotal role in transforming the portrayal of women in Hindi cinema. So what can we take away from all this?

Shelf lives of female actors have increased

“It’s high time for the film industry to embrace the diversity of female experiences and tell stories that celebrate women at all stages of life. In the last few years, this has been particularly evident in the OTT space,” says Yasser Usman, a writer and author of bestselling biographies of Guru Dutt, Rekha, Rajesh Khanna, and Sanjay Dutt.

“Over the last decade, Tabu has brought about significant changes. She has undeniably played a pivotal role in challenging the ageism prevalent in Bollywood. Look at her wonderful performances in films like Haider, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, Crew, and Drishyam,” says Yasser adding, “It’s encouraging to see that the buzz surrounding Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 is primarily due to the presence of Vidya Balan in author-backed roles. Isn’t it encouraging to see that filmmakers and screenwriters are challenging the outdated and formulaic stereotypes to create complex and nuanced roles for older women, like they do in the west?”

Dearth of substantial roles for older actresses

It’s a complex interplay of societal expectations, market forces, and systemic biases that has contributed to this dearth, says Yasser.

The commercial viability of a film is a major factor influencing casting decisions. “The case of Madhuri Dixit is a major example of how commercial success can influence an actress’ career trajectory. Despite her undeniable talent and popularity, her comeback films have faced challenges at the box office.

This has led to a decrease in the number of leading roles offered to her, which is unfortunate given her immense talent and stardom,” says Yasser.