Taapsee Pannu has never shied away from speaking her mind, and this time, the actress opened up about a challenge she says many women in the film industry continue to face — ageism.
In a conversation with Times Entertainment, Taapsee reflected on her journey in Hindi cinema and revealed that she was once told she was not young enough to lead a romantic comedy, even though she had only just started establishing herself as an actor.
Talking about the experience, Taapsee Pannu said, “I came into the Hindi film industry when I was in my mid-twenties, okay? Now, for three or four years, you’re struggling to get a decent role. By the time you make a mark, you’ve crossed 30. Then they say you’re not young enough to be featured in a rom-com.”
The actress pointed out that women often face limitations based on age, while male actors rarely deal with the same scrutiny. Sharing her thoughts, she added, “So even till date, there are so many times when I feel like, ‘But you don’t really need a younger person for this role.’ Yet they still want to go younger. It doesn’t really happen the same way with men. Of course, we can all see that. But yes, ageism is a big thing.”
The Dunki star also spoke about her time working in the South film industry and said she noticed a different kind of bias there. According to her, once she worked alongside a senior star, younger actors became hesitant to pair up with her on screen.
Recalling those experiences, she said, “Even in the South, it used to happen with me. The moment I was cast opposite a relatively senior actor, the younger actors didn’t want to work with me. They were like, ‘Oh no, she’s been opposite that actor, so now…’ You dare say that about Shah Rukh Khan. You know, an actress’s life changes after working with Shah Rukh Khan. So that taboo is not here, but that taboo was there for me when I worked in the South.”
On the work front, Taapsee was last seen in Assi, directed by Anubhav Sinha. The film also featured Kani Kusruti, Revathy, Manoj Pahwa, Kumud Mishra, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub and Satyajit Sharma in key roles.
