Mona Singh Calls Out Bollywood’s “Expiry Date” for Women
From playing Kareena Kapoor Khan’s elder sister to portraying Sunny Deol’s wife in Border 2, 44-year-old Mona Singh has shown incredible range over her career. But beyond her versatility, the actress is speaking up about a troubling double standard in Bollywood: the idea that women have an “expiry date” on screen, while men in their 60s continue to play romantic leads.
Mona’s filmography is impressive—she’s been Mona Sahastrabuddhe in 3 Idiots, Gurpreet Kaur Chaddha in Laal Singh Chaddha, and Simi Kaler in Border 2—often playing characters older than her real age. In an interview with PTI, she explained that she has never worried about her on-screen age. “It’s the character that excites me,” she said, adding that confidence and self-awareness let her take risks without feeling the need to prove anything.
Still, she doesn’t shy away from pointing out the industry’s gender bias. “It’s sad that Bollywood is the only industry where women come with an expiry date,” Mona remarked. “Whereas men in their 60s can still play the romantic leads, women can’t. I’ve never really cared about that, because I didn’t want to be that.”
What’s Next for Mona Singh
Mona has started 2026 strong, playing a don in Vir Das’s directorial debut, Happy Patel: Khatarnak Jasoos, backed by Aamir Khan’s production house. She also recently appeared as Sunny Deol’s wife in Border 2, alongside stars like Varun Dhawan, Ahan Shetty, and Diljit Dosanjh.
Soon, audiences will see her in a completely different avatar: a sharp, competent cop in Kohrra 2, co-starring Barun Sobti. The gripping web series is set to stream on Netflix from February 11, 2026.
With every role, Mona Singh continues to challenge stereotypes, proving that talent and charisma are not bound by age—or gender.