The teaser for Ranveer Singh’s upcoming film Dhurandhar created an instant stir upon its release. While fans lauded the gripping action, it was Ranveer Singh’s romantic pairing with Sara Arjun, who is 20 years his junior, that truly set social media alight.
The age-gap casting has triggered heated debate, with critics questioning Bollywood’s recurring tendency to pair significantly older male leads with young female co-stars. While not unprecedented, such pairings have previously attracted both praise and controversy. Amitabh Bachchan’s understated chemistry with Tabu in Cheeni Kum (2007) was widely appreciated.
However, Govinda’s 2008 film Money Hai To Honey Hai faced backlash after casting 16-year-old Hansika Motwani as his romantic interest, a decision many deemed inappropriate.
In the film, Govinda portrayed Bobby Arora, a man who flees home to prove himself, and meets Ashima Kapoor, played by Hansika Motwani, a teenage television actress disillusioned with fame and yearning for a film career. Despite the age gap, their characters fall in love and eventually marry. At the time, Hansika Motwani was best known for her child roles, including the character Sawari in the hit TV series Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi.
The story revolved around six individuals who unexpectedly inherit a massive company, only to discover it is saddled with debt. Forced into house arrest, the group starts a garment business in an attempt to recover financially. Despite an ensemble cast including Aftab Shivdasani, Celina Jaitley, Ravi Kishan, Upen Patel, Prem Chopra, Kim Sharma, and Manoj Bajpayee, the film failed commercially.
More damaging, however, was the negative public reaction to Govinda’s romantic arc with Hansika Motwani, which was widely criticised and is said to have adversely affected his public image. Although he briefly bounced back with the Salman Khan-starrer Partner in 2009, eight of his subsequent films failed at the box office. His most recent appearance was in Rangeela Raja (2019).
As Dhurandhar gears up for release, industry insiders are watching closely to see whether Sara Arjun’s transition from child artist to lead heroine will be embraced or if the age-gap casting will once again provoke public discomfort. The controversy raises broader questions about gender norms and representation in Indian cinema, and whether Bollywood is ready to evolve past its traditional formulas.
