Is marriage the end of an actress's career in Bollywood?
In Hollywood, an actress's marital status doesn't affect her box-office standing. Right from Meryl Streep, to Angelina Jolie, and Demi Moore to Julia Roberts, most of them are married.
However, back home, in Bollywood, actresses aren't comfortable tying the knot at the peak of their careers, and even if they do, they prefer to keep it under the wrap, and shy away from the media.
I however wonder, what's the big deal in getting married? Is it the audience which rejects them, or is it the mental block of the producers who are apprehensive about offering substantial lead roles to them?
Dimple Kapadia, who went into voluntary retirement after 'Bobby', resurfaced with 'Sagar', which was a huge success at the box office, this despite she had two grownup kids at that time. The audience loved her performance and the sizzling bikini acts as much as they did in 'Bobby'. Infact her career took off post her marriage. She is truly an exception to the rule.
The audience also waited with bated breath, the first release of the dhak dhak girl post marriage. 'Aaja Nachle ' was a disaster, but was Madhuri's marital status responsible for it? She has delivered flops even before her marriage. I feel it was the weak script that sealed the fate of her return.
But partly, these girls are to blame for it too, trying to play it safe since they are married and have a 'log kya kahenge' attutude.
Juhi Chawla effortlessly features in lead roles, in off-beat low budget films and the audience loved her in 'Jhankar Beats' and 'My Brother Nikhil'. She no longer gets roles where she is required to prance around, but that is not because she is married, but she didn't bother to maintain herself for a little song and dance routine after the marriage watermark.
Sometimes, I feel, its the girls who are not driven post marriage, when they actually are at their peak to excel.
One look at Karisma today and you know she can give competition to the hottest women in films, including Bebo! Same for Sribaby, who's never looked better.
Kajol on the other hand, who is a mother today, continues to charge a bomb, as she did before marriage, and she gets what she demands. 'Fanaa' was her return film, and she pranced around in it like any other girl, and fetched herself the Filmfare Best Actress Award. Goes to prove that after marriage you don't become untouchable, even as most girls want more substantial roles. 'Fanaa' wasn't exactly earth shattering cinema!
Rani has preferred to keep her marriage with Aditya Chopra under wraps, as she feels her career will hit a dead end, if she declares it to the media. It's true that she has stopped getting plum roles, but her marriage has got nothing to do with it. It's her restricting herself to the Yashraj banner, and also her choice of films, which is responsible for the lull in her career. Am not quite sure if I want to see her as a man in 'Haddipa'.
The Bachchan bahu too continues to act post wedding. She is the only lucky babe to have the most sought after projects with Akki and hubby and the one with Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Does her marriage have anything to do with this? Very much, the Bachchan clout. Post wedding, she has been offered 6 crores for 'Endhiran.'
Even Raveena and Karishma are trying to make a comeback as is Sonali Bendre using the television back door to get a re-entry into Bollywood.
Marriage infact adds to the intelligence, confidence, poise and body language of an actress and gives her a well-rounded personality, and if they maintain themselves properly, they can give even Deepika and Kats, a run for their money.
You guys know better, tell me like it is.
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