Veteran actor Farida Jalal recently reminisced about her Bollywood journey, reflecting on the roles she wanted but never received. She noted that many female actors of her era faced typecasting, unlike their male counterparts who had diverse roles. Despite this, Jalal has no regrets and is happy to see today’s actors getting better opportunities.
In an interview with India Today, Farida pointed out how male actors like Anupam Kher, Amrish Puri, and Om Puri had more varied roles, including comedians and villains, besides being father figures.
She lamented, “My male counterparts like Anupam Kher, Amrish Puri and Om Puri, who have acted opposite me, got to be the comedian and villain, besides just being the father figures. We, as female actors, were never given that, I am damned to it. People say I am very good with my dialogue delivery, voice, etc. But where have they used it? Just to say ‘beta kaise ho?‘ I might be dying to show them that, but who is giving me the chance? Not just me, but so many character artistes like me have been slotted.”
In an interview with India Today, Farida pointed out how male actors like Anupam Kher, Amrish Puri, and Om Puri had more varied roles, including comedians and villains, besides being father figures.
She lamented, “My male counterparts like Anupam Kher, Amrish Puri and Om Puri, who have acted opposite me, got to be the comedian and villain, besides just being the father figures. We, as female actors, were never given that, I am damned to it. People say I am very good with my dialogue delivery, voice, etc. But where have they used it? Just to say ‘beta kaise ho?‘ I might be dying to show them that, but who is giving me the chance? Not just me, but so many character artistes like me have been slotted.”
Farida Jalal recalls Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan’s courtship days: ‘We’d go for a drive to have coffee at Taj’
She added, “We are dying to show that side of us to the people, but should I produce a film myself to do a role I want to? Even if you become a producer and do that, then you are ridiculed and laughed at. So I would never do that.”
Farida then expressed her joy at seeing OTT platforms providing opportunities to female actors. “Today, when I see OTT, there have been so many actors who have not been slotted into just playing mother’s roles; they get to do so many things now,” she noted.
Farida Jalal’s latest appearance was in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s OTT series Heeramandi, where she played Taha Shah’s grandmother.