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Taapsee On Backlash For Playing A 60 Year-Old: “Did We Question Aamir Khan In 3 Idiots?”

bySwati Dubey
25th September 2019
3 minute read

The trailer of Taapsee Pannu and Bhumi Pednekar starrer Saand Ki Aankh released recently. The actress are seen portraying the role of female sharpshooters who rose to fame in their 60’s. The fact that Taapsee and Bhumi in their early 30’s are playing the role of seniors in the movie did not go down well with many.

The trailer of the film soon sparked an online debate on age-suited casting. Neena Gupta who had earlier tweeted asking for suitable work in the industry too joined in. She wrote, “Yes, I was just thinking about this. Hamari umar ke role toe kam se kam humse kara lo bhai (at least let actresses of my age play such roles).”

Claiming that Kangana was first approached for the film, Rangoli Chandel said that her sister had loved the script of the film but rejected it so that other actresses of suitable age get a chance to play the role.

https://twitter.com/Rangoli_A/status/1176383013053009920?s=20

https://twitter.com/Rangoli_A/status/1176383715729002496?s=20

Taking all the opinions into consideration, Taapsee penned down a note for the critics and questioned why other actors like Aamir Khan, Nargis Dutt weren’t criticized for not playing their age.

“Here’s her statement, in full: “I wonder… I just wonder… Do we ever want to embrace the positivity or just keep latching on to negativity and glorifying it to save our lack of risk-taking tendencies? Have we really lost the shoulder along with our spine to support people who venture out of their comfort zone to bring about a change???? Or it’s just reserved for two females who at a relatively nascent stage of their career venture out to do something, which we were told, most of the people turned down?”

“I wonder …. I just wonder… Did we ask the same question when we all loved what Anupam Kher did in Saaransh? Did we question when Nargis Dutt played mother to Sunil Dutt? Did we question John Travolta for playing a woman in Hairspray? Did we question Eddie Murphy for playing a white Jewish man in Coming to America? Did we question when Aamir Khan played a college kid in 3 Idiots? And in the future are we going to question Ayushmann Khurrana for playing a gay man in Shubh Mangal Zyaada Saavdhan?”

Taapsee went on to pour her heart out on the issue and wrote, “Or these lovely allegations and questions ore reserved only for us??? Well even if it is… we thank you from the bottom of our heart for noticing our little effort to bring to you something new, something different, something you all want to comment on, something you all want to attach yourself to, be it in any way, and something that attracted your attention. After all cinema is also about thought. Let’s keep the discussion going and hope your questions will be answered and doubts will be cleared this Diwali kyuki hum toh aa rahe hain iss baar pataake nahi goliyaan barsaane. Thank you for all the love and attention you have bestowed upon our small film with BIG heart!”

Rangoli was quick to retort to Taapsee and asked her to ‘learn acting first’. Have a look-

https://twitter.com/Rangoli_A/status/1176459565447168000?s=20

Meanwhile, Saand Ki Aankh which is helmed by debutant director Tushar Hiranandani and produced by Anurag Kashyap will hit the theaters on October 25.

What’s your take on the matter? Do you think older actresses should have been cast in the movie?

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