All posts tagged: female actors

Taapsee Pannu recalls being told ‘you’re not young enough’ for rom-coms at 30: ‘You dare say that about Shah Rukh Khan’

Taapsee Pannu recalls being told ‘you’re not young enough’ for rom-coms at 30: ‘You dare say that about Shah Rukh Khan’

Ageism remains one of the most persistent challenges faced by female actors in the film industry. While male stars continue to headline romantic and commercial films well into their later years, actresses often find their opportunities shrinking once they cross a certain age. Actor Taapsee Pannu recently opened up about this disparity, recalling how she faced ageism in both Bollywood and South and often found herself being considered either “too young” or “too old” for roles. Taapsee Pannu recalls facing ageism in Bollywood and South cinema. Taapsee Pannu talks about facing ageism in film industry In an interview with Times Entertainment, Taapsee reflected on how she has often found herself being considered “late” for certain kinds of roles. Opening up about experiencing ageism in both Bollywood and the South film industry, she recalled entering Bollywood in her mid-twenties and spending the first three to four years struggling to land substantial roles. She added, “By the time you make a mark, you’ve crossed 30. Then they say you’re not young enough to be featured in a …

Jyotika was ‘flooded’ by film offers in South despite Tamil debut flop; Bollywood rejected her after Hindi debut flopped

Jyotika was ‘flooded’ by film offers in South despite Tamil debut flop; Bollywood rejected her after Hindi debut flopped

3 min readKochiMay 19, 2026 09:30 AM IST Although Jyotika made her acting debut in Bollywood with director Priyadarshan’s Doli Saja Ke Rakhna (1998), a remake of the Malayalam film Aniyathipraavu (1997), it was the Tamil film industry that catapulted her to stardom, offering her a wide range of characters. A five-time recipient of the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actress, the most by any artiste, Jyotika ranks among the most successful actors in the industry. In fact, her stardom reached such high levels in the 2000s that she often gave her male contemporaries a run for their money. While she has worked in several Hindi films over the years, Jyotika recently admitted that she wouldn’t have attained as much success had she confined herself to Bollywood. Although her debut films in both Hindi and Tamil flopped, Jyotika noted that, while she immediately stopped receiving work in Bollywood, numerous opportunities began coming her way in Tamil, as the industry was more focused on her performance and unperturbed by the box-office verdicts of her …

Kantara actor Sapthami Gowda slams photographers for shooting female actors from inappropriate angles

Kantara actor Sapthami Gowda slams photographers for shooting female actors from inappropriate angles

Actor Sapthami Gowda, best known for her role in Kantara, has called out photographers and camera operators for taking pictures and videos of female actors from inappropriate angles at events. The actor took to her Instagram account to share a note addressing this issue, stating that the unnecessary zoom-ins draw more attention to their bodies than to their work. (Also read: Mini Mathur lashes out at paparazzo for zooming in on Kajol’s body at event: ‘She doesn’t owe you guys eternal youth’) Sapthami Gowda said that the women in the film industry stand united in addressing this issue. What Sapthami said In her note, Sapthami began, “As women in the film industry, we stand together in addressing a recurring issue. Repeatedly, videos and photographs of female actors at public events are shot and circulated from inappropriate angles, with unnecessary zooms that focus on our bodies rather than our work. This behavior, carried out by a few individuals, is disrespectful and unacceptable.” She added, “We are here for our craft. We are here for our cinema. …

Taapsee Pannu says directors ask actresses to wear padded bras in South films: ‘Kitna embarrassing hota hai’

Taapsee Pannu says directors ask actresses to wear padded bras in South films: ‘Kitna embarrassing hota hai’

Actor Taapsee Pannu, who has carved a niche for herself across Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, and Malayalam cinema, recently got candid about the uncomfortable and often awkward realities female actors face while working in the south. Taapsee Pannu is back on the big screen with Assi. The actor shared that there are times when directors in Tamil and Telugu films would ask heroines to wear padded bras to accentuate their appearance on screen, adding that such suggestions then shift attention to a specific body part. Taapsee on weird requests Taapsee spoke about the awkward and embarrassing demands female actors sometimes face in films in the south, when she joined Shubhankar Mishra’s podcast on YouTube. During the conversation, she was asked about why Bhojpuri and South Indian cinema are so focused on the navel in song sequences. Responding to this, Taapsee admitted that she, too, has often tried to understand this trend. She observed that while many South films tend to emphasise the navel in their visual framing, Hindi cinema, on the other hand, leans more towards …

Actresses are ‘treated like puppets’ in Hollywood, claims Kristen Stewart: ‘It’s an idea perpetuated by men’

Actresses are ‘treated like puppets’ in Hollywood, claims Kristen Stewart: ‘It’s an idea perpetuated by men’

Actor-turned-director Kristen Stewart has criticised Hollywood for its treatment of female actors, saying the film industry does not give them any agency. In a recent interview, Kristen called how actresses are treated like “puppets” in Hollywood. Kristen Stewart at the LA premiere of The Chronology of Water at the 2220 Arts & Archives in Los Angeles, January 08, 2026. (Photo by LISA O’CONNOR / AFP) (AFP) Kristen Stewart slams Hollywood Speaking with Variety, Kristen, who is turning director with The Chronology of Water, spoke about the treatment meted out to female actors in the industry. “Actresses get treated like shit, I’ve got to tell you. People think anyone could be an actress, but the first time I sat down to talk about my movie as a director, I thought, wow, this is a different experience. They are talking to me like I’m somebody with a brain,” the actor said. Drawing on her own experience, Kristen said that directors are put on a pedestal by the industry, while actors are relegated to the background. “There’s this …

R Madhavan says no one romances like SRK, questions lack of age-appropriate roles for women: ‘That’s getting difficult’ | Bollywood

R Madhavan says no one romances like SRK, questions lack of age-appropriate roles for women: ‘That’s getting difficult’ | Bollywood

Apr 30, 2025 07:09 PM IST R Madhavan opened up about the romance on screen and how there is a lack of female actors of the same age as Shah Rukh Khan. Shah Rukh Khan is often known as the King of romance for his fans. The star has starred in several romantic dramas, including Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Dil Toh Pagal Hai, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai to name a few. It seems like R Madhavan is also a fan of Shah Rukh as the romantic hero. In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, the actor admitted that no one romances like Shah Rukh on screen, but also called out the lack of female actors who could match him in the age bracket. (Also read: Sunny Deol was roped in for Jaat after this Tollywood actor declined it, reveals director) R Madhavan shared his take on romantic movies being made in the industry. What Madhavan said about Shah Rukh During the interview, Madhavan pointed out the lack of well-written romances and said, “Don’t …

Yami Gautam Dhar on the shift in Bollywood for female actors returning to work post motherhood: Industry has…

Yami Gautam Dhar on the shift in Bollywood for female actors returning to work post motherhood: Industry has…

Jan 23, 2025 10:31 AM IST Yami Gautam Dhar is back to work after becoming a mother in 2024. She reflects on the industry’s growing acceptance of female actors post embracing motherhood Yami Gautam Dhar was back to work in September 2024, four months after delivering her baby Vedavid. And now, she is set to start promoting her upcoming film Dhoom Dhaam. Yami reveals she has been offered multiple roles in the last year, which is a testament to how times today have changed from when actors would be hesitant to reveal their marital status, and female actors especially lost out on good roles after embracing motherhood. Yami Gautam Dhar Also read: EXCLUSIVE| Yami Gautam Dhar’s first interview after becoming a mother: First Children’s Day with my Junior Dhar! “We have come a long way. I do think about this… we are so fortunate to have reached a stage like this. A lot of work has gone into it. Imagine there was a time, not just for actresses, but even for actors to maybe not …

Neha Dhupia: People at film parties would start giving fitness advice on their own, I didn’t want it

Neha Dhupia has been living her life on her own terms, without caring about what others think, be it her career choices, or now getting back into a shape she desired. But she shares that others definitely had a lot to say, and sometimes even give unwarranted advice. Actor Neha Dhupia The pressure on female actors to look a certain way, is real, she says, “There are lots of times when you go to even a film party. Whatever you do, every two minutes somebody in the room will walk up to you and start giving you fitness advice. Somebody would say ‘aap yeh kar lo, you can lose weight, get on this diet, have some great trainers’… I am not asking for advice! I just wanted to be left alone, and take my time. I put on 23kgs, I am now down the same weight. I was happy in my skin.” Hindustan Times – your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. She goes on to add, “Now when I look back at my …