Kareena Kapoor: They are confident and strong women in Bollywood, and to me, age is just a number…

Kareena Kapoor Khan praises her colleagues Deepika Padukone, Kangana Ranaut, and Vidya Balan, crediting them with changing the landscape for women in films.

Kareena Kapoor Khan believes that her contemporaries and leading ladies like Deepika Padukone, Kangana Ranaut and Vidya Balan have significantly improved the position of women in the film industry: not just in terms of roles but also in pay.

Speaking at a recent ABP conclave, Kareena discussed how these ‘strong women’, including herself, have taken a stand and are helping change the narrative for other women as well. Opening up about the difference in the treatment of female actors now compared to years ago, the Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham actor shared, “I think it has changed because a lot of strong women have done a lot of strong parts in films. They have done films that have been loved by the audiences… So, whether it’s leading actresses like Kangana Ranaut, Vidya Balan, Deepika Padukone, or myself, we’ve always tried to stand for roles that have risen above just being there in the film. So, all of us have changed a lot of dynamics on many levels, like demanding a certain role, a certain fee, or position.”

Kareena Kapoor was earlier trolled for increasing her fees to Rs 12 crore for the role of Sita in a reimagining of Ramayana. “I make it quite clear what I want, and I think that respect should be given. It’s not about being demanding; it’s about being respectful towards women. And I think things are kind of changing,” Kareena told NDTV in an interview around the same time.

Kareena, 43, has never shied away from embracing her age and is comfortable in her own skin. On the topic of age, Kareena believes it’s just a number. She expressed her gratitude to the audience for liking her work. “Today the audience has become accepting. Age is just a number; it’s as old as you look. You have to be fit; you have to look good… I don’t want to ever be a 21-year-old again; I’m very happy. At 21, I was so much more hyper and anxious, and I’m much calmer now, and I’m in a happy place in my 40s.”

At Express Adda, held in September last year, Kareena Kapoor spoke about being filter-free on social media and keeping it real while emphasising how she has been accepting herself and her age. “I know the industry; everyone wants to always look a certain way. Everyone wants to actually just remain young. That’s the main thing. But I’ve been one person who’s never really been afraid of embracing my age. I turn 43 on the 21st of September, and I’m actually having the time of my life. I love it. I don’t want to ever go back to my 20s or think that I was such a mess then,” Kareena shared.