'I was sidelined': Manisha Koirala reveals facing ageism in Bollywood
What's the story
Veteran actor Manisha Koirala recently opened up about her experiences with ageism in the entertainment industry.
In an interview with The Free Press Journal, she revealed that she was excluded from roundtable discussions due to her age on multiple occasions.
"Ageism impacts women a lot more than it impacts men," she stated, adding that this bias has led to her being sidelined in at least two to three instances.
Ageism in Bollywood
'I was secluded because of ageism...'
Koirala also shared how she was left out of a celebrity roundtable conversation because of her age.
"I was sidelined by a certain group for a roundtable conversation. And the reason they gave me was, 'Oh, it was about a certain age group,'" she revealed.
"I have seen this like in at least two to three roundtable conversations, I was secluded because of ageism. It does impact us," she further added.
Defying age stereotypes
'I want to keep growing as an artist'
Despite the challenges, Koirala is determined to continue her work in the industry.
She said she wants to defy stereotypes associated with female actors in their 50s.
"We need to be torchbearers to show it to the world and ourselves that, after 50, we can still rock," she said.
"As long as I'm alive, I want to work and I want to be healthy."
Passion for acting
Koirala's love for cinema keeps her going
Despite battling ageism and favoritism in the industry, Koirala's love for cinema and acting keeps her grounded.
"The love and respect that I have for the people pulls me back. But when I see ageism coming in subtly, in a very sophisticated manner or favoritism, it hurts me."
"But I don't voice it and I get confused whether I should still want to be doing this or should I just step away. These doubts keep haunting me sometimes," she said.