Comments on: The Actress Dead Zone

By: David W. Boles

David W. Boles — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 17:28:21 +0000

It’s very sad — and that “no old women on screen” routine poisons mainstream reality.

By: kathakali.chatterjee

kathakali.chatterjee — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 17:26:10 +0000

I know David, it’s strange…when Madhuri left she was 35+ and her so-called last movie was one of her biggest hits, she tried for a come-back after 7 years…but no luck… where as when Kajol left she was at the most 25/26…
Strangely enough, Dimple Kapadia got married at 16, after her first block-buster, had a successful comeback after 14 years for say 5+ years but she was divorced then. Indian cinema couldn’t handle her elegance after a certain period. Sad.

By: David W. Boles

David W. Boles — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 16:19:06 +0000

It’s too bad — it seems like in India once a woman is married — she is tainted for screen audiences. You can have pregnant and married actresses remain screen icons in the USA… until, that is… they hit the magic age of 30.

By: kathakali.chatterjee

kathakali.chatterjee — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 16:08:30 +0000

David,
I am not sure if they are actively in stage performance…at the most they are connected with an acting school/ classes etc.

By: kathakali.chatterjee

kathakali.chatterjee — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 16:05:13 +0000

I beg to differ Gordon, Indian audience is even more merciless…you won’t be able to find a Angelina Jolie or Meryl Streep….at the most we will put her on a pedestal…remember Dimple Kapadia in Dil Chahta Hai? We just lost her after that. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Udc2YPjkOPI&feature=PlayList&p=92D5F052A9F6FD29&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=63

By: David W. Boles

David W. Boles — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 15:59:40 +0000

Are these Indian actresses able to find work on the stage — or are they not really ready for a live stage performance?

By: kathakali.chatterjee

kathakali.chatterjee — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 15:43:49 +0000

I’m afraid it’s the same in Indian movie industry…it’s actually even bizarre…if/ once an actress is married and takes a break for couple of years – she is gone…finished. The audience just can’t accept her back. Two glaring examples: The following link is a dance clip from a Madhuri come-back movie. She got married, took a break for couple of years and then tried coming back. The audience just rejected the once heart-throb. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buteQeqt8YQ&feature=related We lost Kajol, one of the most powerful actresses of our time after she got married. She reappeared in a couple of movies but not in the lead-role. I am eagerly waiting for the following movie just because of her – though the story line sounds extremely predictable… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBk2TS38fSk&feature=related There is no chance to get another DDLJ from this actress which would break all the records all over… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GO6EbPXcnQ4&feature=PlayList&p=089A3D15833D739C&index=23 Seeing the aged actresses in a lead role is a far cry here…no one will take a chance to focus on her…on the contrary, aged men would never find it difficult to get lead roles…in fact, a script might only be written keeping a particular aged male actor in mind. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqBjoZD58Ls&feature=channel This movie wouldn’t have made without Amitabh Bachchan…by the way -- though I liked the movie – at least the first half…but I know this script was written keeping Amitabh Bachchan in mind.

By: David W. Boles

David W. Boles — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 14:01:54 +0000

It is truly sad, Gordon. All these beautiful, talented women are shut out of working because the industry only wants “fresh faces.”

By: Gordon Davidescu

Gordon Davidescu — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 13:31:53 +0000

It’s sad that things are like that in America. Watching British soaps and Indian films informs me that the situation is quite different there! Women of all ages getting all sorts of parts.