B’wood’s unfair to married actresses

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Madhuri Dikshit

Unlike Hollywood, there is hardly a place for married actresses in the Indian film industry. The new mom, Aishwarya Rai has apparently been approached to be part of a Hollywood film, but things may not be that easy when she wants to make a comeback, back home.

Bollywood has a history of not being fair to its married beauties. Actresses like Madhuri Dikshit and Karisma Kapoor couldn’t be successful in their second innings with their respective Aaja Nachle and Dangerous Ishq as both films proved to be duds at the Box Office. But the story is completely different for men in lead roles — any surprises?
Filmmaker Raj Kumar Gupta has no qualms in accepting the fact and blames it on the mindset of society. “I think bracketing an actress on the basis of her marital status is a very narrow-minded thing to do. If we are looking Westwards for other things, why not take some positive attitude from them,” he says. Raj Kumar, whose No One Killed Jassica was in a way a comeback for the not-so-young Rani Mukerji.
According to the grapevine, Sanjay Leela Bhansali ousting Kareena Kapoor from his ambitious project Ram Leela, the desi version of Romeo and Juliet on the grounds of Bebo’s impending marriage, reiterates the fact that in Bollywood, only single heroines are acceptable and if they walk the aisle, they have to bid adieu to their glamorous careers. Actresses like Sonali Bendre and Raveena Tandon have either shifted to the small screen or low budget cinema.
Rajshree Ohja, a filmmaker who made Aisha, feels that the evolving audience has no other option but to accept what filmmakers feed them.
“Filmmakers have to take the lead and give work to talented actresses irrespective of their marital status. That’s how Hollywood does it. There nothing but talent counts,” she says. “Also, blaming an actress, if the film proves to be a dud at the Box Office is an unfortunate thing to do,” she says.
Film critic and film trade analyst Komal Nahta believes the new brigade of filmmakers is experimenting with newer scripts and different ideas. “So, there is a lot of scope for good actors. Also, I am sure that talented actors wouldn’t be looking to do 20 films a year, but a few good, strong roles,” he says.
Rajshree agrees that age has never been a problem with male actors in Bollywood. “If I have a script ready today, I would love to approach Madhuri. Actresses like her are the goddesses of the silver screen and are still fresh in our memories. They certainly deserve a grand comeback and much longer innings,” she adds.