Aahana Kumra claims main roles in films are reserved for star kids, says ‘whatever is left comes to us’

Aahana Kumra says the industry is dominated by star kids and it’s not so easy to break into the market.

She has been a working actor since 2009 but it was only after starring in Lipstick Under My Burkha (2017) that Aahana Kumra became a known name in the industry. And post the success of the film, one would have thought that the actor would have been swarmed with film offers but things did not go as planned. In fact in the last two years, the actor did only one film, The Accidental Prime Minister.

Aahana Kumra on working in Bollywood: ‘Why’ll things change for me, I am not a star child’.

“Thought Lipstick… would open doors for me but then I soon realised why will things change for me [so easily], I am not a star child. That’s what has become in today’s time, unfortunately. The industry is dominated by them and it’s not so easy to break into the market. The main roles are reserved for star kids, whatever is left comes to us. The other lead roles are chickened out to actors who have after a lot of struggle created a space for them in the industry. But that does not mean we are not competent actors… we all audition for small parts that’ the only option we have. That’s the process that is being followed,” says Aahana.

The actor also expresses her discontent in the way how good roles are not written for female actors. “There are so less opportunities for us. There will be like a bunch of men in a film with just one woman. Why so? I would have loved to do films like Chhichhore and ‘83, but if you see the cast, there are mostly men and just one woman. Can’t there be better roles written for women actors and that too when we have so many powerful actors in the industry?” she adds.

Aahana shares that all these are kind of demotivates her at times but she does not let that affect her. She believes in trying till the end. “I don’t want to lose hope and I would let things go just like that. Times are changing. Audience have also become more acceptable, mature and demanding. Thanks to the content boom, and web being becoming so big. Now you can’t fool the audience. Even I got so many good opportunities on the platform and I can’t thank my luck more,” says the actor, who will be seen in two web series. While the first one, Betaal, is being produced by Shah Rukh Khan. The second, Marzi, also stars Rajeev Khandelwal. She has shot both the shows.

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