"This Is How Older Men Increase Their Shelf Life" - Dia Mirza Is Upset And Here's Why

Dia Mirza spoke her mind against casting older men beside young actresses. Not just young, really really young actresses. She called this trend 'bizarre.' According to her, "older men increase their shelf life" in this manner. The actress felt that it was necessary to raise her voice against the raging ageism in the film industry.

On Female Actresses

She openly condemned the film industry for sidelining older actresses while speaking to Times of India. She illustrated her point by referring to actress Neena Gupta. Mirza said it was unfortunate to see the latter asking for work on Instagram. That's how the makers of Badhaai Ho casted Neena Gupta. She expressed her resentment over how the industry perceives beauty. "The idea of beauty is always associated with youthfulness. I think that is why there is a large interest in consuming younger faces, " she said. Mirza expressed her concern over how many middle-aged actresses are still struggling to conquer Indian cinema.

Recently Tisca Chopra spoke to SheThePeople talking of how Bollywood needs to shed ageism and caste in a diverse way. "I was thinking, as roles were becoming scantier, people started coming with character parts, I thought I had to do something about it. Those moments became a central idea for the story I wanted to tell.” Chopra made Rubaru recently as a short film focussed on ageism.

Tisca Chopra added, “We are termed as commodities of use, perky breasts and sexuality. So when that is not the focus of who you are…then what is that woman useful for? I found that tragic." Chopra noted how OTT platforms has opened up new opportunities, roles and are trying to experiment.

Dia Mirza hails OTT Platforms

Mirza too credited OTT platforms for encouraging the release of many women-centric films. Dia Mirza expressed her delight over the rise in the number of female directors, actresses, producers, etc. The actress has never shied away from showing a feminist side of her. She has always supported female issues and condemned sexism.

In the past, Dia Mirza has been vocal about objectifying women through item songs, lewd language, misogynistic films, etc. She demanded that Bollywood needs to pay attention to how it portrays women in films. Mirza has also supported women who have been wronged. She stood up for actress Kangana Ranaut when Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut called her names.

Recently, the actresses completed 20 years of winning the Miss Asia Pacific International title in 2000. Dia Mirza has always won hearts with her acting skills. She is also a producer and an animal rights activist.