There are times when the demand for a story is such that you can only choose specific people. But Bollywood does not believe it.
Because in Bollywood, no matter what the story calls for, the cast will continue to meet a wide age gap. Or, at least, that was the case with these movies released this year:
1. Radhe: Salman Khan and Disha Patani
Salman Khan, who is 55 and was the main romantic hero when I was 15, was in a relationship with Disha Patani, 29 in the film. That’s a 26-year age gap. And unlike Salman Khan‘s Bharat, Radhe didn’t make him play different ages on screen.
2. Toofaan: Farhan Akhtar and Mrunal Thakur
While Akhtar was a good fit for the role, there was no logical explanation why he should be in love with a woman 18 years younger than him onscreen. Because Mrunal Thakur was only 29 years old, against 47 for Akhtar.
3. Bhuj: The pride of India: Ajay Devgn and Pranitha Subhash
While the film is entirely forgettable, the 23-year age gap between Ajay Devgn, 52, and her love interest in the film, Pranitha Subhash, 29, was hard to ignore.
4. Bell bottom: Akshay Kumar and Vaani Kapoor
Akshay is 54 and Vaani Kapoor, who plays his love in the film, is 33. And that brings the age gap between them to 21.
5. Bhoot Police: Saif Ali Khan and Jacqueline Fernandez
A horror comedy that could have been better on both fronts, horror and comedy, could have done a better job at casting as well, instead of romantically pairing Saif, 51, with Jacqueline, 36.
6. Sooryavanshi: Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif
Akshay Kumar makes so many movies in a year that he’s appeared on this list twice because well, all of his movies have women half his age playing on his love interests. As in this case, where Katrina Kaif, 16 years his junior, was chosen as the wife of her character.
And judging by the films slated for 2022, that trend doesn’t seem to be ending anytime soon. After all, 24-year-old Manushi Chhillar is making his debut alongside Akshay Kumar, 54, in Prithviraj, released in January 2022.
It is normal for actors to have a large age gap if their characters are designed that way. Otherwise, this is just one glaring example of the casual sexism at play, no matter how talented the star is. Let’s give new talents and the best castings a chance? It did wonders for the web series!
