Once upon a time in Bollywood, women were expected to fade quietly into the background as they aged, no bold clothes, no strong opinions, no centre stage. But that era is long gone. Now we have Neena Gupta, Dimple Kapadia, and Zeenat Aman, who are rewriting the narrative on ageing, and they are doing it with zero apologies.
Let us explore how each of these women is breaking all the age stereotypes.
Neena Gupta has always openly spoken up about how the world questions her for her clothes and she has even thought of changing her attire because she was losing out on movies. In an interview with Lily Singh, Neena said, “I have suffered all my career because of my personal life. Because of my personal life, I have not gotten roles which I should have gotten. Because I had a baby without getting married, because I wear shorts and spaghetti-strapped dresses. So, in between, I got so discouraged I started wearing salwar kameez dupatta if I go to somebody's office because those are the kind of roles you get in movies.”
Neena also opened up about how movies shaped up her idea of sex and sexual desire. She said, “What did they show in our movies? If you are a woman, your basic motto is to find a man. In fact, for the longest time, I thought we could get pregnant if we kissed. I literally thought it was true. That was what our movies showed us."
Other than being vocal about her thoughts, Neena prides herself on wearing what her heart desires. Be it a gorgeous dress at a trailer launch or a steal-worthy saree blouse, Neena is the true boss lady of Bollywood!
Then there’s Dimple Kapadia, whose timeless beauty is matched only by her confidence. From her fearless on-screen presence to recent bold photoshoots that exude charisma and charm, Dimple proves that sensuality doesn’t have a sell-by date. Her comeback in films like ‘Tenet’ and ‘Saas, Bahu Aur Flamingo’ only reinforces her stance in Bollywood as a strong actor.
The OG glam queen of Bollywood, now lighting up Instagram with her wisdom and wit, Zeenat Aman’s social media game is super strong. From ageing, fame, beauty standards, and the pressure of being a sex symbol in Bollywood, Zeenat has used her platform to talk about a variety of pressing issues. In posts that are sharp, nostalgic, and deeply reflective, Zeenat is saying everything she couldn't during her stardom peak.
Together, these women are challenging the age-old idea that after a certain age, women should dress modestly, speak softly, and live quietly. They’re saying: wear what you want, say what you feel, and be exactly who you are!
