Manisha Koirala on Bollywood's age gap: 'A grandfather can be a hero, but a married actress is taboo'
Synopsis
Long before ageism in Bollywood became a trending debate, Manisha Koirala was calling it out on primetime TV — pointing out that grandfathers could still play heroes while a married actress was effectively written off. Her words from 'Rendezvous with Simi Garewal' feel as sharp today as when she first said them.
Key Takeaways
Manisha Koirala spoke about Bollywood’s age double standard during an appearance on 'Rendezvous with Simi Garewal' .
She noted that male actors who are grandfathers continue playing heroes, while a female actor is ‘tabooed’ from leading roles the moment she marries.
Koirala expressed hope that industry restrictions would ease as more women pushed back against them.
She argued women should shift audience focus to their talent and craft rather than just their appearance.
Her remarks predate but closely mirror the ongoing conversation about ageism and gender bias in Hindi cinema.
Actress Manisha Koirala once spoke candidly about the stark age double standard in Bollywood, revealing how the industry treats male and female actors very differently as they age — remarks she made during an appearance on veteran actress Simi Garewal's celebrated chat show, 'Rendezvous with Simi Garewal'.
The Double Standard Manisha Called Out
Koirala pointed out a glaring contradiction at the heart of Hindi cinema: a male actor who is a grandfather can still be cast as a romantic hero, while a female actor is effectively sidelined the moment she gets married. “We have actors who are grandfathers and are still working as a hero, but the moment an actress gets married, she’s tabooed from acting,” she said. “Why, when you have a 40-year-old or 50-year-old as a hero… the age gap is there.”
Her Hope for Change
Despite the criticism, Manisha expressed cautious optimism that the industry would evolve. “I think a lot of restrictions are there in our industry, but with time I feel people will start fighting it,” she said. Her remarks reflected a broader frustration shared by many female actors of her generation, who found their careers curtailed by social expectations that simply did not apply to their male counterparts.
On Being Seen as More Than an Object of Desire
When Simi Garewal suggested that heroines were often viewed purely as objects of desire for the male lead, Manisha agreed but pushed back against that limitation. “It’s a great thing to be desired, but if they limit you only to that, then it’s a sad thing,” she said. She also placed some responsibility on women themselves to shift the narrative: “It’s up to women, too, to get up and show — I can act, I can do. You concentrate on me and my talent or my work… you have to be clever enough to deal with the situation and change the attention from one thing to another.”
Why These Remarks Still Resonate
Koirala’s observations, though made on a show that aired years ago, remain strikingly relevant. The conversation around ageism and gender bias in Bollywood has only grown louder in recent years, with several actresses — from Vidya Balan to Taapsee Pannu — raising similar concerns publicly. Notably, the Hindi film industry has seen a gradual shift, with more female-led films finding commercial success, yet the age-pairing disparity in mainstream cinema persists. Manisha Koirala herself made a widely celebrated comeback in later years, appearing in projects that defied the very norms she had critiqued.
Point of View
But it also places the burden of systemic change on the individuals most harmed by the system — a tension worth naming.
NationPress
22 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Manisha Koirala say about the age gap in Bollywood?
Manisha Koirala said it was unfair that male actors who are grandfathers can still be cast as heroes, while a female actor is effectively sidelined the moment she gets married. She called the double standard ‘really sad’ and expressed hope that women in the industry would fight back against such restrictions.
On which show did Manisha Koirala make these remarks?
She made these remarks on 'Rendezvous with Simi Garewal', a celebrated chat show hosted by veteran actress Simi Garewal. The show was known for candid, in-depth conversations with prominent Bollywood personalities.
What did Manisha Koirala say about women being seen only as objects of desire?
When Simi Garewal raised the point that heroines are often seen purely as objects of desire for the hero, Koirala agreed it was limiting. She said being desired is fine, but being reduced only to that is ‘a sad thing’, and urged women to redirect attention to their talent and work.
Why do Manisha Koirala’s remarks about Bollywood ageism still matter?
The age-pairing disparity between male and female actors in mainstream Hindi cinema remains a live issue. Several prominent actresses have raised similar concerns in recent years, and Koirala’s early articulation of the problem gives historical weight to a debate that has yet to be fully resolved by the industry.
Did Manisha Koirala herself experience a career comeback despite these norms?
Yes. Manisha Koirala made a widely noted return to prominent film roles in later years, appearing in projects that challenged the very norms she had critiqued — making her both a commentator on and a counterexample to Bollywood’s age-related double standard for women.
