In the premiere episode of Two Much With Kajol & Twinkle Khanna, Kajol asked Bollywood superstars Salman Khan and Aamir Khan about the recurring age gap between male and female leads in films, where the hero is often paired with a much younger heroine.
Reflecting on their responses, Kajol told The Hollywood Reporter India that the actors didn’t quite answer the question directly.
“No, they went around the topic quite nicely, ki humne toh nahi kiya hain… achha kiya hai kya? Really? Humko toh nahi laga (I don’t think we did, did we really do that? We don’t agree). I said really? Apko nahi laga? They beat around the bush a little bit but they kind of did not answer it,” Kajol said.
She added:
“You can’t get mad about these things. You genuinely can’t. Not for any other reason, but it’s something out of your control. It is not something I can control.”
Salman and Aamir’s Take:
When Kajol posed the question—“When the hero romances a younger woman, it’s called ‘cinema magic’. But when an older heroine romances a younger man, it’s called ‘bold’. Why do you think that is?”—the actors shared their perspectives.
Aamir Khan emphasized that casting should depend on the requirement of the film, rather than the age of the actors.
Salman Khan explained:
“Ab itna kaam kar liya hain hum sab logone ki wo jodi purani lagti hain (We have worked together so much now that the pair looks old). So for a freshness in a film, that’s when you take up somebody else who you have not worked with that much.”
Kajol remarked that this approach doesn’t seem to apply in reverse, pointing to the industry trend where male actors continue to be paired with younger female leads.
Over the years, stars including Aamir, Shah Rukh, Salman, and Sunny Deol have frequently featured in films with actresses significantly younger than them, such as in Sikandar, Sitaare Zameen Par, and Dabangg.
Kajol On Age Gap In Bollywood: “They Beat Around The Bush”
