The acclaimed actor Rajshri Deshpande has voiced her concerns regarding the scarcity of substantial roles for women in the Indian film industry once they cross a certain age. Despite receiving immense critical acclaim and a Filmfare OTT Award for her harrowing and powerful performance as Neelam Krishnamoorthy in the Netflix series Trial by Fire, the 43-year-old actor revealed that the industry hasn’t exactly been knocking on her door with equally challenging material. In a candid discussion, she explained that it took her nearly two years to find a project like the upcoming Marathi film Baapya that truly excited her again. She expressed a sense of disappointment that even after a career-defining performance, the scripts she received often lacked the depth or layered complexity she seeks, highlighting a systemic issue where stories rarely center on the diverse life experiences of women in their late 30s and 40s.
Deshpande pointed out that while male actors frequently enjoy long-standing careers with roles tailored to their maturity, women often find themselves sidelined or relegated to repetitive character tropes after the age of 35. She noted that it is unfortunate how few memorable roles are written for women in this age bracket, despite the wealth of emotional and professional journeys they undergo in real life. Rather than spending her resources on public relations or maintaining a specific “fashion icon” image to stay relevant, the actor chose to focus on her personal well-being and her extensive social work through the Nabhangan Foundation. She emphasized her desire for the Indian creative space to evolve, suggesting that writers should look toward international examples like The Crown or The Favourite, where older women are the driving force of the narrative.
Reflecting on her journey after Sacred Games and Manto, Rajshri shared that she has become very selective about her work, preferring to wait for “better characters” rather than repeating the same archetypes. She mentioned that she is comfortable playing a variety of roles, such as a “gangster’s wife,” provided each character is written with a distinct and unique perspective. Her recent health journey, involving a diagnosis and successful recovery from early-stage breast cancer, has further solidified her resolve to live purposefully and choose projects that offer genuine creative growth. As she gears up for the release of Baapya, she remains hopeful that the industry will eventually bridge the gap and start producing more stories that authentically reflect the complexity of women’s lives at every stage of their adulthood.
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