Mumbai, July 3, 2026
Actress Isha Koppikar has spoken out against what she sees as a deep-rooted bias in the film industry regarding age and on-screen romance.
She highlighted how older male actors frequently portray romantic leads opposite much younger women, a pattern she says is widely accepted and normalized, while women are often judged for aging or expressing individuality on screen. Taking to Instagram, Isha posted her video where she said, “It’s very strange, isn’t it? A man’s aging is called experience, and a woman’s aging is called a problem. In movies, we see heroes romancing with girls who are half their age. They become their heroes. That’s very normal.”
“But if a woman is stylish, expressive, and celebrates her individuality, then she is told, at this age, please behave your age. But the truth is, with time, a woman doesn’t become less. She becomes deeper. Her confidence doesn’t become louder. It becomes stronger. Her beauty is not just in her face. It is seen in her journey. Wrinkles don’t just show her age. They show her struggles.”
The ‘Kaante’ actress further said, “You can see her healing and her life experience in it. If every woman is blessed with life, she will age. Your mother, your wife, your sister, your daughter, and, one day, you yourself. Everyone ages. So, don’t make aging an insult. Respect women at every age. Don’t look at their age, but look at their journey. Don’t look at their skin, but look at their strength. Understand this. Because there is no expiry date for dignity. And there is no age for confidence. Think about it.”
For the caption, she wrote, “The world has spent too long defining beauty by age. Maybe real beauty was never about age in the first place.#BeautyRedefined #FearlessWomen #GraceOverPerfection #positivevibes #ageisbutanumber.”
Interestingly, Bollywood has frequently presented films where older male actors are cast opposite much younger female co-stars in romantic roles. Some recent notable examples include “De De Pyaar De,” featuring Ajay Devgn alongside Rakul Preet Singh, “Tiku Weds Sheru” starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui with Avneet Kaur, and “Aap Jaisa Koi,” which pairs R. Madhavan with Fatima Sana Shaikh.(Agency)
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