‘They said being 30 was old for rom-coms,’ says Taapsee: ‘You dare say that about Shah Rukh’

3 min readMumbaiJun 6, 2026 04:20 PM IST

Taapsee Pannu opens up about the ageism she faced in both Hindi and South film industries.

(Photo: Taapsee Pannu, Instagram)

Be it pay disparity or the inherent misogyny that continues to permeate the Hindi film industry, Taapsee Pannu has never shied away from addressing uncomfortable truths, even if it means challenging the status quo. The actor has once again spoken about another persistent issue in the entertainment business, ageism and the double standards women face as they grow older. In a conversation with Times Entertainment, Taapsee reflected on how difficult it is for actresses to establish themselves before they are deemed “too old” for certain roles.

‘You’re not young enough to be featured in a rom-com’

“I came into the Hindi film industry when I was in my mid-twenties, okay? Now, for three or four years, you’re struggling to get a decent role. By the time you make a mark, you’ve crossed 30. Then they say you’re not young enough to be featured in a rom-com.” Highlighting the industry’s preference for younger actresses, she added, “So even till date, there are so many times when I feel like, ‘But you don’t really need a younger person for this role.’ Yet they still want to go younger. It doesn’t really happen the same way with men. Of course, we can all see that. But yes, ageism is a big thing.”

According to Taapsee, similar attitudes exist in the South Indian film industries as well. Recalling her own experiences, she said, “Even in the South, it used to happen with me. The moment I was cast opposite a relatively senior actor, the younger actors didn’t want to work with me. They were like, ‘Oh no, she’s been opposite that actor, so now…’ You dare say that about Shah Rukh Khan. You know, an actress’s life changes after working with Shah Rukh Khan. So that taboo is not here, but that taboo was there for me when I worked in the South.”

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Pressure of maintaining a body image

The actor recently also opened up about the pressure of maintaining a certain body image, revealing that she once pushed herself beyond healthy limits in pursuit of a flat stomach. Taking to Instagram Stories, Taapsee wrote, “I remember I had this obsession because while growing up, I was extremely fit, but I never understood why the lower belly fat always stayed. I worked out intensely almost to an extent that I over pushed myself, and rightly said, when you over push yourself, it rings an alarm in your brain that your body needs protection.”

She further explained, “So instead of actually losing water retention, the body starts retaining it and then that lower belly fat, which might actually not just be fat, it’s also water retention, it stays, and it increases by overworking out, which I really believe people should not do.”

On the work front, Taapsee will next be seen in the Netflix film Gandhari, directed by Devashish Makhija and written by Kanika Dhillon. She was last seen in Anubhav Sinha’s Assi.