Tabu on Ageism and Sexism in Bollywood

Tabu, who will play a star-crossed lover in the upcoming film “Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha,” recently opened up about ageism and sexism in the film industry. In an interview with News18, Tabu expressed her firm stance against playing roles that do not suit her age. Unlike her male counterparts, she emphasized that she wouldn’t want to portray a 30-year-old woman on-screen anymore. “I would refuse those parts. I don’t think that I’ll be open to playing a 30-year-old anymore. I’ve no option but to embrace my age,” Tabu stated.

In “Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha,” the younger version of Tabu’s character will be played by Saiee M Manjrekar. Discussing age-appropriate casting, Tabu mentioned, “Yeh sab cheezein pehle bhi toh hota tha jab de-aging ka concept nahi tha (When there was no de-aging concept, we have seen such casting). We saw different actors playing younger selves of the protagonists. Once they grew up, they became Dharmendra or Dilip Kumar. I think that with this film, we’re continuing that tradition.”

Neeraj Pandey and Tabu on Avoiding De-Aging Technology

When director Neeraj Pandey first disclosed to Tabu that another actor would play her younger version, she was relieved. Tabu said, “My first question to Neeraj was, what about the younger part? When he told me that there’s a different set of actors to do that, I was like, fine. Sometimes, de-aging actors can look gimmicky, especially if the audience knows how old they are.”

Tabu further elaborated, “They’ve seen how we look at present. But all of it depends on the kind of film and the context. Some films can carry off older actors playing younger roles well because it isn’t jarring for the audience. But we didn’t require that in ‘Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha’ and it worked better that way.”

Tabu and Ajay Devgn’s Tenth Film Together

Directed by Neeraj Pandey, “Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha” also features Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar, and Shantanu Maheshwari in pivotal roles. This film marks the tenth collaboration between Tabu and Ajay Devgn, showcasing their enduring on-screen chemistry. The actors have previously worked together in films like “Golmaal Again,” “De De Pyaar De,” “Vijaypath,” “Haqeeqat,” “Thakshak,” “Bholaa,” and the “Drishyam” series, to name a few.

Tabu’s candid reflections on ageism, sexism, and the importance of age-appropriate roles highlight her commitment to authenticity and integrity in her craft. Fans eagerly await the release of “Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha” to witness her powerful performance once again.