In his nearly 50-year-long career, Sharat Saxena has starred in over 250 movies, the latest being Sherni, where he plays a hunter.
The 71-year-old star has been a part of commercial hits like Mr. India, Ghulam, Baghban, Bajrangi Bhaijan, etc.
Recently, in an exclusive interview with Indian Express, he talked about the prevalent ageism in the industry that, according to him, afflicts both men and women.
Jahaan aap budhe lagne lage, you are thrown out of the film industry… I am 71 but I have to try and look 45 years old. This is how it is. The moment you start looking old, you are thrown out of the film industry. This is a young people’s industry. Everybody has to be young. You are old or not, doesn’t matter. You have to look young. It is a crime to be an old man here.
He even talked about how an actor’s job is never-ending because actors need to constantly work to maintain their physique and look.
An old interview where he talked about the prevalent stereotyping in the industry, has also been doing the rounds of social media.
It’s high time the entertainment industry measures a person’s worth by how talented they are, and not by their age or their looks alone.
