Shefali Shah Slams Bollywood Ageism: Actresses Have 'Shelf Life', Actors Don't

• Shefali Shah criticized ageism in Bollywood, highlighting the disparity where actresses have a 'shelf life' but male actors do not.
• She questioned why heroines are expected to be 18-25 years old, calling it a "sad" industry norm.
• Shah emphasized that as an actor, she should be able to portray diverse ages and characters, as she did in a role much older than herself.
• The discussion comes amidst backlash against Ranveer Singh (40) for romancing 20-year-old Sara Arjun in Dhurandhar.
• Dhurandhar casting director Mukesh Chhabra defended the age gap, stating it was "required" for the film's plot and will be justified in Part 2.

Why It Matters: Shefali Shah exposes Bollywood's ageist double standards for actresses versus male actors.