Tabu says society worries more about women's age than women do

Actor Tabu has spoken about the way women in cinema are judged for ageing, saying society appears far more concerned about a woman’s age than women themselves are. In a recent interview with Harper’s Bazaar India, the actor reflected on the constant scrutiny female actors face and how conversations around ageing are often shaped by public perception rather than personal experience.

“People are more worried about your age than you are yourself. They want to show you the mirror, as though you don’t have one at home,” Tabu said, adding that ageing is not the dramatic transformation people make it out to be. According to the actor, it is a gradual process people live through every single day rather than a sudden shift overnight.

“The person answering that question hasn’t aged overnight. We experience it every single day. It’s not like one day someone wakes up at 20 and the next day they turn 45,” she explained.

Why does Tabu believe ageing conversations are unfair to women?

Tabu suggested that women in the film industry are subjected to a harsher lens when it comes to age and appearance. Her comments highlighted how public discussions around ageing often become more about judgement than reality.

The actor, known for maintaining a fiercely private and grounded persona, implied that society tends to impose anxieties about ageing onto women, particularly those in the public eye. Her remarks arrive amid wider conversations in the entertainment industry about beauty standards, longevity and the pressure on female actors to appear ageless.

What did Tabu reveal about rejecting films?

During the same interview, Tabu also opened up about being advised against giving honest reasons for turning down film offers. She revealed that industry insiders often encouraged actors to avoid directly criticising scripts and instead blame scheduling conflicts.

“You should not give a real reason for not doing a film. Give the excuse of dates and walk away,” she recalled being told. “I didn’t understand that. If I don’t like the script, I don’t like it. And I said so.”

What projects is Tabu currently working on?

On the work front, Tabu was last seen in Bhooth Bangla alongside Akshay Kumar. Directed by Priyadarshan, the horror-comedy released in theatres on April 17, 2026.

She is also set to reunite with Nagarjuna Akkineni in his milestone 100th film, tentatively titled King100. The two actors last shared screen space in the 1998 Telugu film Aavida Maa Aavide and earlier in the 1996 hit Ninne Pelladata. Directed by Naveen Karthik, the project went on floors in April this year.