Is showbiz finally ready to celebrate older ‘heeras’?

In showbiz, anything past 40 was considered ancient when it came to female actors. Men, of course, could find roles whatever their age. But of late, actors like Manisha Koirala, who plays an ageing courtesan in the much-discussed OTT show ‘Heeramandi’, have been smoothly stealing the show from much younger competitors. The 53-year-old Nepalese actor makes no attempt to hide her advancing years, and the visible ravages of time, as she schemes and connives to retain control over her famed haveli, swirling and twirling tiredly with nubile Kathak dancers, inviting unfair comparisons, and reminding viewers just how demanding and unforgiving a visual medium can be to older actresses. mediumIt is to Manisha’s credit and a tribute to her histrionic skills that, in terms of audience popularity polls, it is the senior actress who has walked away with all the glory. Joining her as a worthy co-star of an even older vintage in the same series is veteran Farida Jalal (75), charmingly portraying the role of a doting grandmother. Both roles have enough meat in them to hold the attention of even fickle fans who are always in search of the next young thing on screen.Other senior stars like Shabana Azmi, Sharmila Tagore, Dimple Kapadia, Neena Gupta, to name a few, are relishing a revival of their paused careers once again, with well-written roles that receive genuine praise and admiration from youngsters who may or may not be familiar with their stellar filmographies. That these roles are being especially written for veteran actresses is, in itself, a huge shift.Male contemporaries playing prominent roles in special character-driven projects (Amitabh Bachchan in ‘Piku’) have it much easier. Most current male superstars in India are in their 50s and 60s, some are 70-plus like Rajinikanth, while Amitabh Bachchan is in his 80s. If one can overlook a slump or two in their extended careers, the road has been devoid of major speed breakers. With female stars, the story is significantly different. They get mother roles while their male contemporaries co-star opposite fresh faced 20-year-olds. This is the nature of the beast. mediumhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvzZYynDkwAIf today, some of our lead male actors have no compunctions signing movies and sharing screen time with the daughters and nieces of their contemporaries, it is because there is far more acceptance and hardly any debate over the dramatic age difference.The current adulation for Manisha Koirala is a huge transition, especially for movie buffs who clearly remember her in the 1991 hit, ‘Saudagar’, or in ‘1942: A Love Story’ where she played a dewy-eyed, disarmingly innocent ingénue. One of her iconic and much-loved songs (‘Pyar hua chupke se’) is still enjoyed by a generation that thinks of her as their parents’ heartthrob.Age as a barrier to a woman’s career advancement is not restricted to showbiz alone. Look at the career graphs of internationally recognised chefs, for example. In the topmost tier are well-groomed, arrogant, elderly guys with attitude. Forget the food. They make serious money as judges on TV shows. Their female counterparts are nowhere near them in the remuneration stakes. And even Nigella Lawson’s spectacular success was harshly attributed to her impressive cleavage. Padma Lakshmi, once referred to as the hottest chef on earth, recently announced her retirement from the food scene and said she’s keen to be taken seriously as a stand-up comic. medium110234846Politics is equally hard on women whose original good looks are rapidly fading. Tickets are more readily given to far younger novices with zero experience in the field. The matronly Priyanka Gandhi of today is a far cry from the trim and fresh-faced star campaigner she once was, and gets trolled for her altered, older appearance. However, her brother Rahul Gandhi’s grey beard is considered ‘cute’.Women in media fare no better, especially television anchors. The present lot with a massive fan following are all lookers. And yes, young. Major concessions are made for their far older male colleagues, who are spared similar scrutiny and criticism. Indisputably, we live in an ageist world. But with Manisha ruling the roost as Mallikajaan and Zeenat Aman bagging prestigious endorsements and roles, perhaps we are finally maturing as an audience that’s ready to acknowledge personality and talent over an hour-glass figure and a face with no tell-tale age lines. There are countless ‘Heeras’ in the country. Let’s celebrate them without demanding their birth certificates.