Manisha Koirala REVEALS being ‘sidelined’ in a roundtable because of her age; says, “They don’t mind having older male co-actors”

Manisha Koirala, who was recently seen in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Heeramandi as Mallika Jaan, received immense praise for her performance. The veteran actress, known for a series of iconic films over the years, has now opened up about facing ageism in the industry. She revealed that while ageism impacts women across various fields, it is especially harsh on female actors. Male stars, she pointed out, do not experience this discrimination to the same extent.

Manisha Koirala on being excluded from projects because of her age

In a conversation with the Free Press Journal, Manisha shared an instance of being excluded from an industry roundtable. “Whether in the industry or otherwise, ageing is an issue with women. We get shamed. I’ve never heard trolls telling a male figure he’s become old, but women face it all the time. It’s like looking down upon age,” she said.

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She further explained how the exclusion felt unjust. “I was sidelined by a certain group for a roundtable conversation. The reason given to me was, ‘Oh, it was about a certain age group.’ I asked, ‘If my male co-actor, who is older than me, was part of the project, would he have been excluded?’ Of course not. I’ve seen this happen at least two or three times. They don’t mind having older male co-actors but have issues with apparently older actresses,” she added.

Manisha on getting age-shamed in the film industry

Talking about common misconceptions about actresses in their 50s, Manisha emphasised that women can thrive at any age. “We need to show the world and ourselves that after 50, we can still rock. We can still lead phenomenal lives. We can still excel in our profession. I want to work as long as I’m alive, stay healthy, and look good – that’s my motto,” she said.

The Lajja actress also addressed stereotypes that limit women to motherly or sisterly roles as they age. “People think, ‘She’s old now; what work can she do?’ But women can play kick-ass roles. They can be badasses, full of life and fire. Actresses before me have done it, and I want to do the same. I still have the fire in my belly, and I want to keep growing as an artist. Age is just a number. Fifty is just a number, and it won’t stop me or anyone else,” she concluded.

Also Read: Manisha Koirala reveals initially hating comparisons to Madhuri Dixit; recalls how the later once helped her bag a major role