Short innings for B-town girls

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While the leading men in Bollywood successfully continue to play 20-somethings even in their 40s, the same cannot be said for the ladies of the industry. There was a time when heroines like Sridevi, Madhuri Dixit, Kajol and Juhi Chawla ruled the roost for a little over a decade before making a dignified exit.

Today, however, the scenario is very different. With an industry spoilt for choice when it comes to new faces, especially among heroines, the upcoming starlets have realised that aiming for long shelf-lives is rather unrealistic in a male-dominated industry. Anushka Sharma, whose short folio boasts a handful of big-budget films, said in a recent interview that unlike her seniors, she does not intend to stick around till the time she loses her foothold in the industry.
Critic Mayank Shekhar points out. “Fifty per cent of the film’s budget is allocated to pay the movie stars. We all know it’s the hero’s face on the poster that sells a film. So it makes sense to have debut actresses at less than half the price.”
In recent years, besides Vidya Balan, no other actress has been able to establish a movie fan base, according to Mayank.
Bipasha Basu, who was very close to being written off until Raaz 3 came along, says, “Actors play longer innings — that’s the advantage they have always had. Having said that, you can’t take away the hard work that actresses put in.”
Bipasha is aware of the gush of new talent, but she seems secure in her place when she says, “Yes, a lot of new faces come from time to time, but seniority has its own perks.” Perhaps that’s what Preity Zinta, who’s ready with her comeback film, is cashing on. “Actresses have to plan their so-called comeback films from time to time. Unfortunately, it is believed they are in their prime only for the first eight to ten years of their careers. I feel I am in a position to choose the work I do because of my standing in the industry,” she says.
Dia Mirza, whose films have consistently failed to create an impact at the box office, says, “My career graph might have fluctuated but that doesn’t dishearten me. If you fail in one film, that doesn’t mean that you will never succeed again. I am producing films now and that makes up for every glitch.”
The problem with most actresses, especially among the new breed, according Mayank is their lack of individuality. “If the audience cannot tell one from the other, then how will they last in the industry?”
— With inputs from
Reena Kapoor