I don’t see an ageist ssue in Bollywood, t is all in your head’

Juhi Chakraborty

Ageism is a conversation that has been going on in film industries across countries for a while now. And Kajol, who has been part of the Hindi film industry for 29 years, says that while part of it is true, there are also instances which prove that female actors are not discriminated against. “We had actors such as Sharmila Tagore, Sadhna, Nargis Dutt, etc., who were working way after the time they were married and were in their 40s. Yes, I agree that today the time is such that everybody has a binocular view on it. Today, we are suddenly looking at things which we never noticed before. But this was all happening earlier as well. Even my mother (Tanuja; actor) never stopped working,” she points out. Kajol says how there are so many female actors who have been working non-stop but people these days are making a big deal out of it. “I am here and I am working. I am very proud of it. I don’t see an ageist issue in Bollywood. I never did. I think it is in your head. If Aamir Khan, at the age of 40, can do a film like 3 Idiots (2009), and play a college student in it, why can’t I? He believed he could and of course, with the help of special effects,” she says with a laugh. The 46-year-old firmly believes that as long as you don’t adhere to and give in to people’s perception about you, things work out. “I have honestly never believed in anyone else’s opinion besides myself, so that is good,” she adds. Kajol is riding high on the success of her recent Netflix film, Tribhanga, directed by Renuka Shahane, where she plays an actor. She explains how she injected her own experiences into the character of Anu. “Renuka is an actor herself, and understands the pressures of being an actor and in the limelight. So we both kind of shared in that bit and that aspect of it. But Anu’s character is much more, being a star is just a part of who is she is. The film is about relationships, and mothers and daughters, and how everybody is screwed up. There is no supposed parenting in this world, and no supposed perfect family in this world,” shares the actor.