Jaya Bachchan says shelf life of actors is very short: ‘It’s sad they are taking up other businesses…’
Veteran Bollywood star Jaya Bachchan feels that actors today are trying to find alternative ways of earning money because they have a very ‘short shelf life’. In the latest episode of her podcast with granddaughter Navya Naveli Nanda, Jaya discussed how women are getting better at managing funds. Her daughter Shweta Bachchan also pitched in her opinions during the episode.
Jaya, who wants to invest in an old-age home at some point in her life as she doesn’t want to be a burden on her children, feels the shorter shelf life of actors has forced them to get into various businesses. For example, Katrina Kaif has a beauty line Kay Beauty, Priyanka Chopra has a restaurant in New York named Sona, Hrithik Roshan started his clothing brand HRX in 2013, and Abhishek Bachchan is the owner of two successful sports teams, Pro Kabaddi team, Jaipur Pink Panthers and football team, Chennaiyin FC.
During the conversation, Jaya said, “All these actors are taking up other businesses to secure their future as the shelf life is very very short. They know they won’t be able to do it for very long, which is why (they look for alternatives). It is very sad. It’s not nice.” The veteran star also pointed out that though actors can manage alternate careers, “What about technical staff? I am really worried about these people, where will they go?”
Jaya said she is happy to see younger girls as technical staff on a film’s set but she also has a problem with people stereotyping them once they are married. “It is not just in India, all over the world, people think that women, once married, are not saleable, they are not wanted, I hate that term, ‘arre iski toh shaadi ho gayi, arre she is married, she is not desirable, why should she be treated like a desirable commodity. If she is good at her job, whether she is 20 or 80, she should be allowed to work.”
Jaya Bachchan has been quite vocal about her opinions and views on Navya’s podcasts until now. She has recently been in the limelight for her behaviour with the paparazzi.
