Bollywood actress Isha Koppikar recently opened up about the challenges she faced during her early years in the film industry, particularly the discomfort of romancing much older male co-stars.
In a candid interview with Siddharth Kannan, Isha shared her experiences and the struggles she encountered, including her MeToo story and the casting couch incidents. However, one of the most striking revelations was her discomfort while acting opposite significantly older actors
Source : TOI
Isha explained that the age gap between her and her co-stars often made romantic scenes feel awkward and unnatural. “You do feel uncomfortable when you work with someone 30 or 20 years older than you. I felt uncomfortable when I was working with elderly heroes. You don’t get the feeling like you are hugging your partner or lover; you feel like you are hugging your father,” she said.
Source:- BBC News
Reflecting on her early days in Bollywood, Isha mentioned that as a newcomer, she believed this was the norm and tried to focus on her role despite the discomfort. “You are an actor; you focus on your part and forget they are elderly. You wouldn’t feel cringe with everyone; some of them had maintained themselves very well and wouldn’t look their age, but some obviously had that air and demeanor of a senior, due to age and experience in the industry,” she added.
Isha also highlighted the audience’s awareness and reaction to such age gaps, noting that viewers are quick to point out the unrealistic casting. “They should understand what they look like and accordingly play the part. I hope this changes because the audience is not foolish. I have seen them in theatres saying, ‘Ye kitna buddha lag raha hai, ghar pe baith; apni beti ki umar ki ladki saath romance kar raha hai.’ They say this bluntly, which is the truth. Because of social media, everyone knows this,” she remarked.
Isha Koppikar’s insights shed light on the broader issue of age disparity in Bollywood, calling for more realistic and age-appropriate casting in the industry.
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