Shruti Haasan Calls Perception Of Hollywood 'More Ahead, Progressive' Nonsensical

Shruti Haasan reacted to actor Maggie Gyllenhaal's 2015 remark when she said that at the age of 37, she was rejected as the love interest of a 55-year-old actor. In a new interview, Shruti said that the perception that Hollywood actors 'are more ahead and progressive is nonsense'. She added that 'everyone is dealing with the same thing' as it is a 'male-driven society, world and industry'. Shruti also called it 'normal in society if there is a younger woman with an older man'.

Speaking with 'TheWrap' magazine in 2015, Maggie said, "I'm 37 and I was told recently that I was too old to play the lover of a man who was 55. It was astonishing to me. It made me feel bad and then it made me feel angry and then it made me laugh. A lot of actresses are doing incredible work right now, playing real, complicated women. I don't feel despairing at all."

In an interview with a popular entertainment news agency, Shruti said, "I think it's normal in society that if there is a younger woman with an older man, not many questions are raised as to whether the older woman wants to remarry or date again, so this is societal conditioning. Your example of a Hollywood actress, oh, we think they are more ahead and progressive is nonsense because everyone is dealing with the same thing. It's a male-driven society, world and industry as well. So, we are fitting into that. Am I fighting the questioning? No, not at the moment."

Speaking about ageism in the industry, Haasan said, "I think ageism in the world is an issue. It's a youth and vanity-driven world we live in, especially in the world of social media. The question is, do you want to buy into it or not? There is beauty and grace with every age. There are certain roles you can play with only a certain amount of age and experience and those are the things I like to focus on and not get into the whole ageism talk."